A Syracuse University student and his father, a former professor, were among the survivors of the plane crash in Alaska that killed former Sen. Ted Stevens and four others Monday afternoon.

According to the Associated Press, the tragedy was caused by the plane crashing into a snow-covered mountain slope.

Sean O’Keefe and his son Kevin, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, were on a fishing trip.

‘Even as we mourn the tragedy of those lost on yesterday’s plane crash in Alaska, the Syracuse University community is comforted to hear the news that our alumnus and former Maxwell faculty member, Sean O’Keefe, and his son Kevin, one of our students, survived,’ said Chancellor Nancy Cantor, in a released statement. ‘All of our thoughts are with the O’Keefe Family as Sean and Kevin heal, and with the families of those who perished.’

The O’Keefe family lives in Baton Rouge, La. Sean graduated from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University with a master’s in public administration in 1978, and taught government policy courses at SU about a decade ago.

Sean is also a former NASA administrator, and held that position during the Columbia Shuttle accident. He was also the one who made the decision to return to the moon and one day move on to Mars, according Maxwell’s website.

From top to bottom, Kevin’s Facebook page is covered with the well wishes of friends.

 –Compiled by Beckie Strum, news editor, bastrum@syr.edu

Published on August 9, 2010 at 12:00 pm