A Leicester mom scatters her son’s ashes from a plane after he tragically died in a North Carolina plane crash last year.
Charles Mather Jr. was a former chef and became a skydiving instructor. He took his mom, Sharon, on her first skydive in October 2023. Tragedy struck in July of last year.
Charles, Adam Plummer, and Scott George died in a plane crash. The crash happened in Rutherford County, North Carolina. The plane crashed shortly after takeoff, returning from Tennessee. Charles hosted skydiving instruction there.
Sharon learned of her son’s death by FaceTime and was shocked hearing of the crash. Charles Mather was 37 years old and was on the plane that crashed. Sharon answered a FaceTime call from Linda, the owner of Skydive Mountain City, who cried and said she was sorry. Sharon knew something bad had happened.
Sharon initially thought it was a parachute accident. Linda clarified that it was a plane crash. Charles wanted stability in his life, desiring a wife, kids, and a house. These were his last words to his mom.
The crash investigation continues. Sharon jumped to honor her son weeks after his death. She leaped from 14,000 feet high and scattered her son’s ashes. Sharon was not scared. She wanted to do this for her son and felt it was the best way to scatter his ashes.
Three hundred skydivers attended, telling her how much they loved Charles. Charles created a movement to raise mental health awareness, focusing on PTSD, suicide, and addiction. He worked with Stay Stokedd, a group aiding veterans with sports.
Sharon will continue his work and wants to raise more awareness. She gets messages from around the world. Friends loved and respected him; he was polite and amazing with much to offer. It is devastating to think about.