Rockford Man remembers the victim of the San Diego aircraft crash

Rockford, Ill. (Wifr) – In the early morning of May 22, a private plane crashed in the San Diego district and left six deaths, all of whom were on board.

One of the victims of the crash was identified as a 42-year-old Dave Shapiro.

Dave Shapiro was a groundbreaking music manager. Garret Rapp was with many bands, including “The Color Moral”, a band that started in the Forest City. Singer of the band and Rockford Resident, said Shapiro was someone who took care of his artists on and off the stage.

“Many of us children who make a hobby in a career, they know that we may never have had this opportunity without Dave,” said Rapp.

It was the opportunity for her life to start only a small band in Rockford on nationwide tours. Rapp says that Shapiro was one of one million and a big reason why the Rockford band was decreased.

“Dave was the guy who had all big bands, he had all the big tours, and he had all the train, so he is the one who could do situations out of nowhere, and they were because of him and his leadership,” said Rapp.

After Shapiro had been appointed one of the victims in the fatal plane crash, the news was shocked by many in the music industry.

“You know that it was only an extremely devastating week for the music industry and a big loss, these shoes are never filled again as he fulfilled them,” said Rapp.

Rapp explains that the music industry can be an unfriendly place, but Shapiro's standard setting was friendliness. He says he is a man who really took care of people as humans, not just about people as an artist.

“For him, I think that compassion towards artists and in the direction of the craft has precedence cases about business,” said Rapp.

Rapp says it is rare to have someone like Shapiro in today's industry, a man who took his artists with his artists on a personal level.

“I think his entire career was a personal level and that's why he was so successful because he took care of it,” said Rapp.

Gone, but never forgotten, says Rapp, that Shapiro leaves a lasting influence on the music industry.

“To have someone who takes care of as much as Dave made sure, it doesn't happen often,” said Rapp.

Cleaning takes place two days after the fatal aircraft crash, after considerable damage to property and dozens of families can be forced to evacuate. However, some residents can slowly call up essential objects from their houses.

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