Vince Neil’s birthday party in Florida might have saved his life.
The Mötley Crüe frontman narrowly avoided being on a deadly private jet flight that tragically killed his longtime pilot. Vince’s close friend, Lance Graves, told TMZ that before the crash in Arizona on Monday, Vince was celebrating his 64th birthday in Florida.
Vince’s girlfriend, Rain, was on the flight with a friend when the jet landed at Scottsdale Airport, lost control, and crashed into a parked jet—killing the pilot. But Vince wasn’t onboard.
According to Lance, Rain had to be in Arizona for the Royal Crown barrel racing competition, a horse event, but Vince didn’t need to be there until Thursday. So, he stayed behind in Florida to soak up the beach vibes.
As we previously reported, Rain suffered 5 broken ribs in the crash, and her friend was also injured. The co-pilot sustained injuries as well. Rain, however, won’t be competing in the event anymore as she’ll need time to recover both physically and emotionally. Vince’s friends are committed to giving her the “time and grace” she needs to heal.
Mötley Crüe’s manager has said Vince’s heart goes out to the pilot’s family, and the band is figuring out how they can offer support. Vince’s friend also shared that the pilot, a 78-year-old Marine veteran, had flown with Vince for years. Vince had hired him after his retirement from commercial airlines because of their strong bond and Vince’s desire to help him.
Though some have expressed outrage over the pilot’s age, Vince’s friend says the relationship between Vince and the pilot was based on loyalty, adding, “Few people are that kind and loyal in today’s world.”
