A plane crashed early Thursday at Statesville Regional Airport, killing seven people, including NASCAR star Greg Biffle, his wife and two children, and three other people. Biffle, who flew aircraft in WNC to help victims of Hurricane Helene, owned the Cessna that crashed mid-morning north of Charlotte.

Wright, a longtime friend of Wadsworth, expressed his deep sorrow, stating, “I’ve lost more than a dear friend, I’ve lost a brother, a family member, it’s been tough.”