A devastating plane crash in Copake, New York, on Saturday, April 12, has claimed the lives of six individuals, including a highly accomplished MIT graduate and NCAA Woman of the Year, Karenna Groff. The tragedy has sent shockwaves through both academic and athletic communities, as well as countless lives personally touched by the extraordinary people on board.
The victims of the crash include Karenna Groff, 23, a former MIT soccer star and rising medical student; her father, Dr. Michael Groff, a respected neuroscientist; her mother, Dr. Joy Saini, a dedicated urogynecologist; and her brother, Jared Groff, a talented paralegal. Also lost were Jared’s partner, Alexia Couyutas Duarte, and Karenna’s longtime partner, James Santoro, another MIT graduate and a lacrosse player turned finance professional.
The family was en route to the Catskills for a weekend of celebration—marking a birthday and the Jewish holiday of Passover. Their journey was tragically cut short when the twin-engine Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft, owned and piloted by Michael Groff, crashed into a muddy field under uncertain circumstances.
According to preliminary reports from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the aircraft appeared to be intact before it plummeted rapidly toward the ground. No distress call was made, though the pilot had requested a new approach plan before the crash and failed to respond to low-altitude warnings from air traffic control.
Todd Inman, an NTSB official, described the final seconds captured on video footage: “The aircraft was intact and crashed at a high rate of descent into the ground.” The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The loss of this vibrant and impactful family has reverberated through communities far and wide.
“They were a wonderful family,” said John Santoro, father of James Santoro, in a heartfelt statement. “The world lost a lot of very good people who were going to do a lot of good for the world if they had the opportunity. We’re all personally devastated.”
Karenna Groff’s life was marked by brilliance, purpose, and compassion. A 2022 graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biological Engineering and followed it with a Master’s in Biomedical Engineering the next year. At the time of her death, she was pursuing a doctorate in medicine at NYU’s prestigious Grossman School of Medicine.
Beyond academics, Karenna was a driven changemaker. She co-founded openPPE during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, an initiative dedicated to designing and distributing advanced face masks for frontline workers. In 2021, she also helped establish the MIT Slums & Informal Settlements Research Group (MIT SIS), an organization focused on participatory research with marginalized urban populations around the globe.
Her multifaceted excellence—academic, athletic, and humanitarian—was honored when she was named the NCAA’s 2022 Woman of the Year, a recognition of both her soccer career and her broader contributions to society.
In a reflective interview with MIT Athletics in January 2023, Karenna expressed her surprise and gratitude for the honor: “I just completely did not expect to win, so I didn’t know what I would go up and say. I was just completely overwhelmed with being grateful and just appreciative of everything I’ve been lucky enough to do at MIT, which has made me a collegiate athlete and everything I am.”
Her love story with James Santoro began their freshman year at MIT. James, a math major and member of the lacrosse team, formed a deep bond with Karenna that would carry through college and into their post-grad lives. After graduation, the couple moved to New York City—Karenna to begin medical school, and James to begin a career at the hedge fund Silver Point.
The pair were, by all accounts, a team in every sense—mutually supportive, ambitious, and committed to building a future together. John Santoro described their relationship as one grounded in deep mutual respect and affection. He added, “The 25 years we had with James were the best years of our lives, and the joy and the love he brought us will be enough to last a lifetime.”
The other lives lost were no less impactful.
Dr. Michael Groff, an experienced pilot and noted neuroscientist, was deeply respected in his field. Known for his intellect and quiet warmth, he was a man committed to both scientific advancement and family. His wife, Dr. Joy Saini, was a skilled urogynecologist admired by colleagues and patients alike. Together, they raised their children with strong values, a thirst for learning, and a drive to give back.
Jared Groff had recently begun to establish his career as a paralegal and was seen as a thoughtful, driven young professional. His partner, Alexia Couyutas Duarte, had quickly become part of the family’s tight-knit circle and was known for her kindness and vibrant personality.
The Groff-Saini family’s influence rippled across many worlds—medicine, law, education, athletics, and beyond. Their tragic passing is not only a personal loss to family and friends but a significant blow to the broader communities they inspired and uplifted.
Funeral arrangements are underway, with family members asking for privacy as they process their profound grief. Tributes continue to pour in from former classmates, professors, coworkers, teammates, and countless others who had the privilege of knowing them.
Though their lives were cut short, the legacies of Karenna, James, and their families endure—in the lives they touched, the work they began, and the dreams they shared.
In this time of sorrow, the words of John Santoro remind us of the light they brought: “Their futures were full of promise, but their impact will never be forgotten.”