Steve Mensch, the president and general manager of studio operations at Tyler Perry Studios, died in a plane crash Friday night, according to CNN.
Steve Mensch was an airplane enthusiast
Mensh was the only passenger aboard a single-engine, fixed-wing plane that reportedly went down at about 8 p.m. in Citrus County, Florida, about 80 miles northwest of Orlando.
The Florida Highway Patrol did not name Mensch as the man who was deceased, but the Citrus County Sheriff’s Department later told the news outlets that Mensch of Fayetteville, Georgia, was the one who perished. Fayetteville is about 25 miles south of Atlanta.
In a statement obtained by CNN on Saturday, officials at Tyler Perry Studios wrote: “We are incredibly saddened by the passing of our dear friend, Steve Mensch. Steve was a cherished member of our team for more than 8 years, and well beloved in the community of Atlanta. It is hard to imagine not seeing him smiling throughout the halls. We will miss him dearly. Our heart goes out to his family as we all send them our prayers.”
Mensch managed the day-to-day operations at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, the nation’s largest such production campus
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens offers condolences
“I was incredibly sad to learn about the tragic passing of Steve Mensch, the President and General Manager of Tyler Perry Studios,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said in a statement. “Aside from being instrumental in establishing Atlanta as a premier destination for global film and television production, he was a trusted friend and supporter of the Mayor’s Office of Film and Entertainment.
“Whether he was hosting national conferences or allowing our interns to tour the grounds of TPS,” the mayor added, “he was always willing to share his expertise and inspire others to pursue their passion.”
Tyler Perry tries to make sense of a succession of losses in 2024
Perry, who is world-renowned as the first African American to own a major production studio, said Mensch “was truly a kind soul and a great leader at the studio.”
“I’ve been trying to understand this tragedy all day – what went wrong with that plane,” Perry wrote to his nearly eight million followers on Instagram Saturday night. “Steve loved flying, and he loved that plane; he took so much pride in it.
“We all adored him and are devastated that he’s gone. I’m praying for his family as we all try to make sense of this heartbreak,” Perry penned.
