Broadway star Megan Hilty asks for help searching for bodies of her pregnant sister and nephew

Megan Hilty is asking her fans, and the public at large, for help in finding the bodies of her family members who were killed in a plane crash in Washington State last month.

The Broadway star’s sister, Lauren, who was eight months pregnant, her brother in-law Ross Mickel, and her two-year-old nephew Remy died when the floatplane they were flying in went down in Puget Sound off the coast of Whidbey Island.

The body of Mickel was found during the search by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), but the remains of her sister and her young son have not been found.

Now that the official investigation is over, the family has started up a GoFundMe page to help pay for a private company to continue the search in hopes of ‘bringing Lauren, Remy & Luca back home.’

Family tragedy: Broadway star Megan Hilty took to Instagram to reveal her family needs to pay a private company to continue the search for her pregnant sister, Lauren (center), and her two-year-old nephew Remy, who were killed in a plane crash in Washington State last month; Megan is pictured on the right along with her other sister and mother

 Horrific: The actress and singer’s family members were among the 10 people killed when the floatplane they were flying in crashed in Puget Sound off the coast of Whidbey Island

‘Hey everyone. By now many of you have heard about my family’s tragic loss. I’m reaching out now because we need your help,’ Hilty, 41, began in an Instagram post that included a photo of her sister and nephew.  ‘When the NTSB brought up the plane, several victims were recovered, and thankfully Ross was one of them – but my beloved sister and nephew were not.’

After revealing that the NTSB had finished its work, the Washington State native shared about hiring a private company to look for her pregnant sister and nephew.

‘While the chances are slim, there is still a possibility we can find them, and we all agree that at the end of the day, we want to say we did everything we could to bring them home. But we can’t do this alone,’ she explained.

The NTSB announced they had discovered the wreckage of the plane, and that all 10 people onboard had been killed, in an announcement on its website on September 4.

The search for family: Hilty revealed her brother-in-law, Ross Mickel (pictured) was found among the wreckage but her sister Lauren (pictured), who was eight months pregnant with a son named Luca, and her nephew Remy were not found

A U.S. Coast Guard boat searches near Freeland, Wash., on Whidbey Island north of Seattle 

The single-engine de Havilland DHC-3 Otter propeller plane, operated by Friday Harbor Seaplane, crashed near Whidbey Island, Washington in Puget Sound, halfway between its destination and takeoff points. 

Upon learning the tragic news, the actress and singer, who rose to prominence for her roles in Broadway musicals, including in Wicked, 9 to 5: The Musical and Noises Off, took to Instagram to share her grief and to thank fans and followers for their support.

She mentioned that ‘Lauren and Ross left behind my niece who we are all holding in our hearts.’

‘Thankfully, she was not on the plane and we ask that her name and personal information be kept private as she is a minor,’ shared on the little girl. 

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The single-engine de Havilland DHC-3 Otter propeller plane, operated by Friday Harbor Seaplane, crashed near Whidbey Island 

‘It has been so comforting to know just how loved Lauren, Ross, Remy and Luca truly are,’ she concluded. 

Hilty and her family have started a GoFundMe page – Help Us Bring Lauren, Remy & Luca Home – organized by Megan Hilty to continue the recovery mission, which she mentioned will come at ‘a tremendous cost.’

Initially, their goal was to raise $50,000 for the search, but already, in just one day, they’ve raised more than $72,000 from 799 donations. The largest amount came from television executive Robert Greenblatt, who donated $5,000.

Hilty has already stated that any money raised over their goal would be donated to ‘the team who have dedicated their lives to helping families like ours search for their loved ones.’

She ended both her Instagram post and the GoFundMe page by thanking everyone for ‘your love, support and generosity during this incredibly challenging time.’

Reaching out in need: The family started up a GoFundMe page that has already topped their goal of $50,000 in less than one day