Bruce Collie, a starter on two San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl championship teams, suffered a family tragedy Saturday when his daughter was killed in a plane crash.
Collie’s daughter, Devyn Reiley, 30, died when the World War II-era plane she was piloting crashed into Lake Winnebago during an airshow at Oshkosh, Wis. Her co-pilot, Zach Colliemoreno, was also killed.
According to reports, the plane began spiraling uncontrollably at about 4,000 feet before. hitting the water.
Both pilots’ bodies were recovered by Coast Guard crews later that evening.
A second crash at the airshow just three hours later claimed the lives of two more people.
The 49ers selected Collie out of the University of Texas-Arlington in the fifth round of the 1985 NFL Draft. He was a full-time starter at right guard for five seasons with the 49ers, including their Super Bowl championship teams in 1988 and 1989.
He went to the Eagles in a trade after the 1989 season, and played two more seasons before retiring. The 61-year-old has been involved in the restaurant business since his retirement.
Reiley was the oldest of Collie’s 13 children and had been captivated by aviation and flying from a young age. She co-owned a flight school with her husband, Hunter, in their hometown of New Braunfels, Texas.
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.