CT Neurosurgeon Dies In West Virginia Plane Crash

CONNECTICUT — A Saint Mary's Hospital neurosurgeon died after his small plane crashed in West Virginia Monday.

Dr. Thomas Kaye, 67, of Haydenville, Mass. was the only person aboard the plane when it crashed in the woods near Fairmont and Grafton, according to NBC Connecticut.

He was flying from Indiana to Massachusetts and had stopped in West Virginia for fuel. Police believe he had recently bought the plane and was flying it back home.

Kaye came out of retirement last year at the behest of his friend Dr. Christopher Comey, chairman of surgery at St. Francis Hospital.

" I have known and worked with Tom for over 20 years and his kindness, focus on patient care, and willingness to assist other colleagues was unmatched," Comey said in a statement. "Tom was happily retired when I asked him to come on board to work with Dr. Michael Hill at Saint Mary's Hospital in Waterbury. He willingly returned to patient care with great skill and enthusiasm."

Kaye also worked at St. Francis Hospital for a time before the Waterbury site was set up, Comey said.

"Tom was truly a special person, and our community mourns his passing," Comey said.

Kaye had previously worked at the Baystate Medical Center as a neurosurgeon, according to Western Mass News. Patients recalled him as a calming presence during stressful medical times.