A senior at East Chapel Hill High School has died in a plane crash in Wyoming, according to school officials.

Mackenzie Ruston was traveling in the plane along with one other person, believed to be the pilot, when the plane crashed along the Idaho – Wyoming border on Monday. None of the other members of her family were involved in the accident. No further details are available at this time.

Tom Forcella, Superintendent of Chapel Hill – Carrboro City Schools expressed his condolences.

“Today we grieve as a community. This is the hardest day any of us will ever face,” said Forcella. “We will rely on the comfort of one another, and we will do everything in our power to support Mackenzie’s family, friends and loved ones.”

The East Chapel Hill High School community received this message from Eileen Tully, principal at East Chapel High School:

“I am calling today with a very heavy heart. In fact, this is the worst kind of phone call a principal will ever make. Yesterday, we lost a beloved member of our school family. Mackenzie Ruston, a senior, was killed in a plane crash in Wyoming. We do not have many details at this point, but we can confirm that Mackenzie was one of two people on the plane, the other being the pilot. Other members of her family were not physically injured. Our condolences certainly go out to Mackenzie’s family, friends and her loved ones. Counseling support has been added to our school today from the district to assist students and staff with grieving. If you would like any sort of advice or assistance on how to best engage your child in this difficult conversation, please don’t hesitate to call on us. This is a very difficult time for everyone, and your continued support is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your attention to this message.”

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