The wife of PGA golf pro Sean Fredrickson says he and his three children were having the time of their lives on an “adventure” when they were killed in a plane collision over a lake in Idaho.
Fredrickson, 48, died on Sunday alongside his son Hayden Fredrickson, 16, and stepchildren Sofie, 15, and Quinn Olsen, 11, according to Fox affiliate KPTV.
April Fredrickson — who was mom to Sofie and Quinn and stepmom to Hayden — told the outlet that her family was “so excited” to be on the plane, which collided with a second aircraft and crashed into Coeur d’Alene Lake.
“I think that, at the end of the day, they died doing what they loved, which was being together,” she said. “[Sofie] loved life, she literally loved life. My little guy was Quinn. He was 11 and he was my best friend. He was just always in tune with what I needed.”
As for her husband, who was the head PGA Professional at Oswego Lake Country Club and president of the PGA’s Pacific Northwest Section, April said he was a generous and popular person.
“I don’t know a person that did not like my husband,” she said. “I mean, he just had an infectious personality. Always wanted to take care of everybody else.”
April, who did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment, said in a statement to CBS affiliate KREM that she, Fredrickson and the kids had enjoyed a “wonderful family weekend” together just before the crash.
“I am reeling from the loss, but take solace in the fact that they were on an adventure and so excited for their first sea plane ride,” she said. “I know that they each touched many lives and that our entire LO and Tualatin community will be grieving.”
On Facebook, April shared a sweet photo in which she hugged her two dogs and promised her loved ones she would stay strong.
“We are going to be ok,” she wrote. “Thank you everyone for the well wishes.”
Brian Olsen, the father to Fredrickson’s stepchildren, told KREM that Sofie was a rising junior at Lake Oswego High School and loved playing lacrosse. Quinn, meanwhile, looked up to his older sister, and loved video games and bike riding, he said.
Fredrickson’s death was confirmed in a statement by the PGA, which called him a “rising star” in the organization, as well as an “incredible father, husband, PGA professional, mentor and leader."
“There are never words to communicate the pain of such a loss,” the statement read. “Many of you have mentioned Sean’s mentorship in your posts. Mentorship was a passion of Sean’s, creating our mentoring committee and our early mentoring conferences. His passion to help many of you was driven by his genuine desire to serve his fellow PGA Professionals. You will carry on this passion… As you remember Sean, reflect on the enthusiasm, the integrity, the passion and the love we saw in him every day. We will miss you, our friend.”
Two planes collided above Coeur d’Alene Lake around 2:20 p.m. on Sunday, and both were eventually located by sonar teams at about 127 feet, according to the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office.
Two bodies were immediately recovered from the water, and officials said they believed a total of eight passengers and crew were involved, with no survivors.
During a press conference, officials explained that one of the aircraft involved was a charter plane operated by Brooks Seaplane and a pilot and five passengers — four of whom were related — were aboard.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are currently investigating the crash, FAA spokesman Ian Gregor told PEOPLE on Monday.
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