Crew Member Killed in Medical Helicopter Crash Was Dad-to-Be

One of the three crew members who died in a medical helicopter crash in Kentucky this week was a father-to-be. 

The victims have been identified as Gale Alleman, Bethany Aicken and James Welsh, NBC affiliate WLWT, Fox affiliate WXIX and ABC affiliate WCPO.

According to a GoFundMe fundraiser launched to support Welsh’s wife Haley, the couple were expecting their first baby together.

“There is nothing in this world that can ease the pain Haley feels right now, but the funds raised here can alleviate any financial stressors as she goes through this extremely rough time,” the organizer said.

James was killed in a helicopter accident on Oct. 7 alongside two other crew members while they were flying to pick up a patient. Air Evac Lifeteam, the company that runs the service, announced in a statement shared on Facebook.

The Kentucky State Police confirmed the names of the crew members in a separate statement on Facebook. “The Kentucky State Police gives our deepest condolences to the families of the three Air Evac Lifeteam members who were killed yesterday in an Owen County helicopter crash: Gale Alleman, Bethany Aicken and James Welsh,” the post read in part.

The fundraiser has raised over $41,000 as of Wednesday, Oct. 9.

In an update posted on Oct. 8, the fundraiser’s organizer shared, “Thank you all [for having] donated to support James’ wife. Although we have reached our original goal of $10,000, we are actively collecting as much as possible to help Haley. If you can find it in your hearts to contribute, anything can and will help.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

“James’ life was tragically cut short doing something he loved — helping those in need during the worst moments of their lives,” a description on the page continued. “James was one of a kind. He was a best friend to everyone, an outstanding family man, and someone you could rely on for anything.”

Air Evac Lifeteam called the incident a “terribly tragic accident. “Our deepest sympathies go out to the employees’ families and friends. Our primary focus now is on supporting the families who were impacted as well as our team members. Critical incident stress management teams have been sent to assist our team members during this difficult time,” their statement added. 

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed they are investigating the incident on X (formerly known as Twitter).

In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, Air Evac Lifeteam said they are “fully cooperating with the FAA and NTSB.”

The company added, “To avoid speculation and to respect the integrity of the investigation, we will not be commenting on its details.”