Movie
The actor and his daughters, 12 and 10, died along with the pilot on Thursday after a small plane they were in crashed into the Caribbean Sea
A Los Angeles Pilates instructor who recently lost her two daughters and her father – actor Christian Oliver – has paid tribute to her daughters and her former husband, saying her death was “deeply felt by all who knew her”. .
Actor Christian Oliver dies with two daughters in a plane crash in the Caribbean
Jessica Klepser's comments about Oliver and her daughters — Madita Maia and Annik Luna Klepser, ages 12 and 10, respectively — were contained in a statement Wundabar Pilates, the studio where she works, posted on Instagram late Friday.
The statement described Madita as “a vibrant” seventh grade student (the US equivalent of eighth grade in the UK) who had “a lively spirit” and achieved success in education, dance, singing and performance. Meanwhile, her younger sister Annik, who was in fourth grade (fifth grade), had a “gentle but strong demeanor” and was “always the first to offer a kind word or a comforting hug,” and she had a passion for Basketball. Swimming and various art forms, the statement said.
“The deep bond, infectious laughter and adventurous spirit that Madita and Annik share will be deeply missed in their communities,” the statement continued.
In addition to his acting work, Oliver, who was born Christian Klepser, also worked as a real estate agent and maintained “a wide network of close friends worldwide,” the tribute says.
The tribute said his survivors include Jessica Klepser, his sister and his parents in Germany, adding: “His loss will be deeply felt by all who knew him.”
The Klepsers married on July 4, 2010, according to Los Angeles court records. After more than ten years of marriage, he filed for divorce in December 2021, which was finalized in June and the couple shared joint custody of their daughters.
An online GoFundMe campaign to benefit the survivors of Madita, Annik and their father had surpassed its goal of $100,000 as of Saturday. The donations will cover funeral costs and services as well as the repatriation of the bodies of Oliver and his daughters, who died off the coast of a Caribbean island.
Oliver, Madita and Annik were on vacation together and were passengers aboard a single-engine plane that took off from an airport in Bequia, a small island in the state of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, at around 12:10 p.m. local time on Thursday, authorities said.
The St. Vincent and Grenadines Royal Police said the plane, which was flying to nearby St. Lucia, ran into unspecified problems shortly after takeoff and then crashed into the Caribbean Sea.
Fishermen, divers and members of the country's coast guard came to the scene of the accident. Military personnel were eventually able to recover the four bodies of the passengers aboard the plane: Oliver, his girls, and the plane's pilot and owner, a man from Bequia named Robert Sachs.
The exact cause of the crash was still under investigation.
News of German-born Oliver's death spread throughout the film industry and beyond. Among those mourning his death were director Nick Lyon and actor Bai Ling, who were involved in the upcoming film Forever Hold Your Peace, which Oliver completed filming on December 20.
His acting career began in 1994 with a 26-episode role in the series Saved by the Bell: The New Class. Other prominent actors included “The Good German” with George Clooney and Cate Blanchett, “Speed Racer” with Emile Hirsch and “Valkyrie” with Tom Cruise.
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