Metro-North Crash: Jim Lovell, Victim, Remembered as Good Family Man
James "Jim" Lovell, 58, was killed when the Metro-North train he was riding yesterday derailed. His colleagues at NBC paid tribute to their friend today and remembered him as a good man and father.
"Jim worked on 'Today' for over 20 years," executive producer Don Nash said. "He was not only a skilled technician but also one of the nicest guys you ever met. You may have seen him working at many of our outdoor concerts. He always had a smile on his face and was quick to share a friendly greeting. Jim is survived by his wife, Nancy Montgomery, three sons, Hudson, Jack and Finn, and a daughter, Brooke. On behalf of all of us who had the pleasure of working with Jim, our deepest sympathies and condolences go out to all of them."
Lovell was one of four passengers killed when the train apparently missed a turn and derailed. James Ferrari, 59; Kisook Ahn, 55; and Donna Smith, 54 were also killed. An investigation is pending into what went wrong.
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"This was a tricky turn on the system, but it's a turn that's been here for decades and trains negotiate all day long," Governor Andrew Cuomo said Monday. "So it's not about the turn. I think it's going to turn out to be about the speed more than anything and the operators' operation of the train at that time."
Lovell was due back in Manhattan to work on the Rockefeller Christmas tree before its lighting on Tuesday. His colleagues and family were left stunned by the crash that took his life.
"Words can't express how much my father meant to me," Finn Lovell posted on Twitter and Instagram. "It's safe to say he molded me into the man I am today. I love you and I miss you. I can't believe you're gone. This feels like an awful nightmare that I can't wake up from. Rest easy dad. I love you."
"Our deepest sympathies to the family of Jim Lovell," tweeted Matt Lauer. "He was a talented and kind friend and colleague. We miss him already. Rest in peace Jim."
