When did Darren Bailey's son get married to Kelsey? Relationship timeline explored in the light of fatal helicopter crash

A heartrending tragedy has befallen the family of former Illinois gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey. In a statement posted on X by his campaign, it was disclosed that Bailey's son Zachary, daughter‑in‑law Kelsey and their two young children, 12‑year‑old Vada Rose and 7‑year‑old Samuel were killed in a helicopter crash in Montana on Wednesday. Authorities are now probing the circumstances of the accident, a loss that has plunged the state's world and the wider community into profound sorrow.

Finn, the family’s ten‑year‑old grandson, wasn't on the board and is safe. The relatives voiced sorrow over the loss, saying they're leaning on their faith, family members and the kindness of well‑wishers as they navigate this period. They have also asked for privacy while they mourn. According to WIFR News, Bailey was slated to attend the Lincoln Day Dinner in Freeport on Wednesday night, though it remains unclear whether he was actually there.

A sneak peek into the Bailey family

Although no record or news story has ever revealed the date of Zachary Bailey's marriage to his wife, Kelsey, the two forged a life steeped in love and family. Together they raised three youngsters, 12‑year‑old Vada Rose, 7‑year‑old Samuel and 10‑year‑old Finn. Finn remains the child who survived.

The family's reputation rested on a woven bond - a connection that relatives and friends habitually described as warm, devoted and overflowing with care for one another. Zachary and Kelsey poured their hearts into shaping a nurturing home where laughter reverberated through every room, support lingered like an ever‑present comfort and an endless cascade of moments, with their children accumulated like beads. Their lives were abruptly snatched away in a helicopter crash, leaving a grieving family and a sorrow‑laden community behind. While the ache of heartbreak lingers, Finn stays uninjured, bearing the love and spirit of his parents and siblings - a living reminder of the family's bond and enduring legacy.