St. Paul Lutheran Church in Lakeland is the link between the victims who died in a plane crash on Christmas Eve near the runway at Bartow Municipal Airport.

John Shannon and his daughters Olivia and Victoria attended the church, along with their family friend, Krista Clayton, who also died in the plane crash with them.

Church member Greg Wilhelm was friends with both families. He said everyone called Victoria “Tori.” He and his wife attended her wedding in June, when she married Peter Worthington, Jr., who also died in the crash.

“I was very, very surprised when it happened,” said Greg Wilhelm. “I have to believe in my heart there was some type of mechanical problem. I don’t know.  Again, I’m not a pilot but John was so meticulous. He loved everyone on that plane. That was his entire family plus a very close friend Krista Clayton.”

Wilhelm said called John Shannon a close friend he’s known for 20 years. He said he was very close to his daughters; Olivia even worked part time in her father’s law office.

“He was really close to both of his daughters. He had raised them by himself since they were very young,” said Wilhelm.

He flew with John several times to places as far as Turks and Caicos. He said John flew to the Keys several times a year, and it wasn’t out of the ordinary for him to ask friends if they wanted to come with him.

“It was almost to the point of obsession when John prepared the plane for a flight. He went to so many checks and rechecks, and double checks,” said Wilhelm.

While Wilhelm considered John a close friend, he said he was even closer to Krista Clayton’s family. Her fiancé Marc was his business partner for several years and Wilhelm said they worked out of Clayton and her fiance’s home.

Wilhelm said he spent all of Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with him, providing him support through this time.

“He just needs everyone’s prayer and support and love because is … the ironic thing is while we all love John Shannon, and he raised his two daughters by himself.  That’s what Marc is going to get to do. He’s going to get to raise his two daughters by himself,” said Wilhelm.

Clayton taught gifted children at Jewett School of the Arts. When she wasn’t working, Wilhelm said she was focused on her three year old and 18-month-old daughters.

“She was constantly taking care of the kids … She really loved those kids. They’re going to miss her,” said Wilhelm.

Wilhelm said he’s helping his pastor and Clayton’s fiancé with funeral arrangements. The bodies are still with the coroner’s office.

Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board continued to analyze the aircraft involved in the crash on Christmas.

Its spokesman Eric Weiss said they’re in the process of getting a contractor to move the plane from the crash site to one of the agencies facilities in Jacksonville, so it can be analyzed.

Weiss said a preliminary report should be available in seven to 10 days.