Mom remembers family lost in Superstition plane crash

GOLD CANYON, AZ - The mother of three children killed in a plane crash on the night before Thanksgiving says she's still in shock, more than two months following the accident.

"I feel like I'm going to wake up from a bad dream and the kids are going to come through the front door and say this was all a mistake," said Karen Perry.

The night before Thanksgiving, Perry's daughter and two sons boarded a flight with their dad bound for Safford, Arizona.

However, shortly after takeoff, the plane crashed into the Superstition Mountains, killing all on board.

"It is surreal," said Perry.  "I thought it would get easier with time but actually the time that's passed has made it more difficult because I miss them so much."

In fact, it took Perry until just recently to get up the strength to visit the crash site.

A week ago Saturday, she hiked the Superstition Mountains with some friends to visit the spot where the plane went down.

"It was very healing for me but it was also hard," said Perry.  "It's a living memorial."

Perry tells ABC15 she couldn't have gotten by without the overwhelming support from her friends.

In fact, Perry's co-workers at Delta Airlines donated their own vacation time to her, enough where she could take paid time off for an entire year.

Perry expects to return to work in March.

"This community has been wonderful for me," said Perry.

Another friend wrote this song in honor of Karen's children: Morgan, Logan and the youngest, Luke.

"My hope is that (the song) heals and these children's memories will live on through it," said Tina Vallejo, the song's author.

"I remember (the children) as wonderful and special and feel so lucky to have them when I did," added Perry.