On a foggy January morning in 2023, a small plane carrying five men from Memphis, TN, crashed in Yoakum, rocking the Yoakum community and leaving a deep scar on the hearts of many in Memphis. Among those on board were five men: beloved fathers, husbands, and leaders of the faith community. Four of the passengers lost their lives on impact, while their Pastor, Dr. Kennon Vaughan, miraculously survived. Vaughan was transported to a Victoria hospital and eventually to a larger trauma center in San Antonio, where he underwent numerous operations and procedures to save his life. Through the power of prayer, and the overwhelming grace of God, Pastor Vaughan lived and has made a nearly full recovery.
For Dr. Vaughan, survival came with both physical challenges and emotional devastation. While grieving the loss of his friends, he endured a long and painful recovery process. Yet, amidst the darkness, Vaughan found himself grateful for every day with his wife and five sons, and leaning more deeply into his faith than ever before. While his life is marked by a deep sense of grief and gratitude each day, he sees how God is using the tragedy of the crash, which brought such pain to many, to bring hope and the Gospel to so many more.
On a visit with his family to the site of the crash this past Spring, landowners Mitch and Larissa Harbus shared with Pastor Vaughan their conviction that God did not bring that plane to rest in their field by chance. Watching the funerals of the men who died in the crash, Larissa shared that they were moved with a desire to know God more deeply. She and Mitch also shared their desire for the Gospel to go forth from the very site of the crash. Now, two years later, Vaughan returns to the crash site with a powerful message of hope and redemption, seeking to share his story with others who may be struggling through their own trials.
