Grand Canyon helicopter crash: Donations sought for survivors, including 'well-loved' newlyweds

Kaila White
The Republic | azcentral.com
Newlyweds Jonathan Udall and Ellie Milward survived a helicopter crash in the Grand Canyon that killed three of their friends.

Newlyweds Ellie Milward, 29, and Jonathan Udall, 32, were the only surviving couple in the Feb. 10 helicopter crash in the Grand Canyon that killed three tourists.

A group of six friends, made up of three couples, traveled from England to Las Vegas to celebrate one of their birthdays earlier this month. As part of the celebration they took a sightseeing helicopter tour to the Grand Canyon. 

The helicopter crashed on tribal land outside Grand Canyon National Park, killing Becky Dobson, 27; her boyfriend Stuart Hill, 30, who was celebrating his birthday; and Stuart's brother Jason Hill, 32.

Jason's girlfriend Jennifer Barham, 39, survived, as well as pilot Scott Booth, 42, Milward and Udall.

All four are being treated at a Las Vegas trauma center and were still in critical condition as of Monday. 

MORE:4 survivors of Grand Canyon helicopter crash still critical

MORE:Grand Canyon helicopter crash: 'We should not have been up there,' witness says

'Two well-loved colleagues'

Their employer, British financial-services company Yorkshire Building Society, said that Milward and Udall are "two well-loved colleagues." 

The company said in a statement that Milward is a development manager and Udall is a regional manager.

"Everyone who works with them is devastated about what has happened. We’re staying in touch with their families and hope to hear positive news soon," Gary Fowler, director of retail network at Yorkshire Building Society, said in the statement. 

Udall's father, Philip Udall, told the Evening Standard that his son married Ellie in November.  

Fundraisers for the survivors 

Jennifer Barham is one of the survivors of a helicopter crash in the Grand Canyon that killed three of her friends.

A JustGiving fundraiser for the couple said they were in Las Vegas on their honeymoon. 

The fundraiser quickly surpassed its goal of about $14,000, raising about $29,000 as of Monday afternoon.  

Another JustGiving fundraiser for survivor Jennifer Barham had raised about $5,000. 

Barham is a partner at London law firm Bircham Dyson Bell. Her professional name is Jenny Dorricott.

MORE:Partner in London law firm among injured in Grand Canyon helicopter crash

ALSO:Grand Canyon helicopter crash: Brothers killed were 'like twins'

A pilot started a GoFundMe page for survivor Scott Booth, who was flying the helicopter that crashed. That fundraiser raised more than $47,000 in a week. 

Pilot Scott Booth survived a helicopter crash in the Grand Canyon that killed three others.

The page described Booth as "one of the nicest, kindest human beings on the face of the planet.  He would always offer to help if someone was in need, and would often crack a joke while doing it."

The fundraiser has been heavily supported by the community around Papillon Airways, the company for which Booth was flying at the time of the crash.