💔 A Rising Star Lost Too Soon: Karenna Groff, NCAA Champion and Medical Hopeful, Dies in Tragic Plane Crash

 ✈️ What was meant to be a quiet family trip ended in unthinkable tragedy.

🏆 Karenna Groff — celebrated MIT soccer player and 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year — has died in a devastating plane crash in Copake, New York, along with six loved ones, including her parents and boyfriend.

📚 At just 25, Karenna was not only a three-time All-American athlete, but also a promising medical student at NYU. She had co-founded the OpenPPE initiative during the pandemic, helping frontline workers access protective gear when it was needed most.

🧠 She embodied the balance of brilliance and compassion — excelling in the classroom, on the pitch, and in service to others. Her life was a blueprint of purpose, discipline, and drive.

🕊️ Among the victims were:

• Dr. Michael Groff (her father, and pilot of the aircraft)

• Dr. Joy Saini (her mother)

• Jared Groff (her brother)

• Alexia Couyutas Duarte (his partner)

• James Santoro (Karenna’s boyfriend)

📉 According to the NTSB, the plane lost radar contact after a missed landing attempt. There was no distress call. It was later discovered in a wooded area with no survivors.

💬 “Karenna was one of the brightest lights of our generation,” said an MIT spokesperson. “She wasn’t just our teammate — she was our leader, our inspiration.”

🕯️ Tributes have poured in from the MIT community, the NCAA, and the medical field, remembering her radiant smile, tireless determination, and commitment to making the world better.

📸 Photo credit: Tribune.com.pk / FILE (fair use for editorial reporting)

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