Malibu's Grant Adamson Dies in Accident; His Wife and Daughters Seriously Injured. Plus Updates at Bottom of Page

photo courtsey of Malibu Times
The Los Angeles Times is now also reporting the Malibu Times story about the tragic ballooning accident that claimed the life of Malibu's Grant Adamson and critically injured his wife and his two daughters.

The one bright spot right now is that both daughters have been operated on and are expected to make full recoveries while Grant's wife is going to be operated on within the next 48 hours.

It's been 15 years since I've lived in Malibu and while I have not seen Grant during that time, we have talked a few times about the good old days out in the 'Bu.  And of all the people I have know over the years in my many lives, I can not think think of anyone who was more respected - or more loved - than Grant.

He was one of those few, rare people no one ever had even an unkind word to say about.  And now that his daughters are safe, let's hope the same will be true for his wife, Terry Adamson.

Below is the latest from the Malibu Times.

Grant Adamson killed in Switzerland hot air balloon crash, family seriously injured

Balloon collides with power lines, drops 165 feet to ground; Terry Adamson, 55, daughters, 24 and 20, reportedly in hospital with life-threatening injuries.

By Knowles Adkisson / Associate Editor |20 comments

[Update, 5:20 p.m.] Lauren and Megan Adamson each underwent successful surgeries for unspecified injuries, according to Kristen London, a niece of Grant Adamson. They are both expected to make full recoveries. Terry Adamson was expected to undergo surgery for unspecified injuries “within the next 48 hours,” London told The Malibu Times on Tuesday afternoon. She could not elaborate further on Terry’s condition.

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Grant Adamson, descendant of Malibu’s first family, was killed early Tuesday morning when a hot air balloon carrying him and his family crashed near the western Swiss town of Montbovon, according to multiple news reports. Adamson’s wife Terry, 55, and his daughters, 24 and 20, reportedly sustained life-threatening injuries.

Police in the state of Fribourg say Adamson, 55, died at the scene when the balloon fell 165 feet after crashing into an electric power line while attempting to land at 8:35 a.m., after a two-hour flight from the town of Chateau-d’Oex, according to the Associated Press.

Terry Adamson and the two daughters were evacuated to the hospital by helicopter.

The 65-year-old pilot was also seriously injured and was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

Grant Adamson was a member of Pepperdine University's Crest Board, among other community involvements. Heidi Bernard, executive director of Pepperdine University's Crest Associates, wrote in an email to the board Tuesday, "With a very sad heart, I regret to inform that you that we learned this morning of the death of Grant Adamson and the severe injury to his wife and daughters in a hot air balloon crash in Switzerland while on vacation. We will keep you apprised to the status of his family as we know more. Please keep the Adamson, London and Gee families in your prayers."


UPDATES -

The Malibu Times link has more on his life and his wife's life, but no medical updates and the LA Times has updated its story this morning.

Wednesday Update - Malibu Times has an article about how Grant's passing has affected the small town that Malibu is.  Here is a brief portion of it:

Malibu community stunned by Adamson death

Friends recall a benevolent, soft-spoken man with deep roots in Malibu.

By Melissa Caskey /melissa@malibutimes.com | 2 comments

A great sense of shock and sadness reverberated throughout Malibu as news spread Tuesday of the death of Grant Adamson. Adamson, 55, was a descendant of the Rindge-Adamson family, known as Malibu’s founding family.
Through dozens of emails, Facebook comments and story comments, community members testified Tuesday to the lasting impact Adamson had in his hometown.
For many, Grant Adamson was synonymous with the Malibu name. 

“He never changed—always the nicest, most laid-back person I’ve ever known. He had his own special inflection for saying the word Malibu, and I loved hearing him say it,” friend Ray Karno wrote on The Malibu Timeswebsite.  

And...

“The whole of Serra Retreat is bereft at the loss of Grant and we’re very vigilantly communicating with one another in hopes and prayers that Terry, Lauren and Megan get full recovery from their injuries and are back with us soon,” Payne said Tuesday. “They’re such an important family [here].”
“A nicer person and family is not to be found in Malibu,” Gwen Lucoff wrote on The Malibu Times website.
Realtor Paul Grisanti commented, “Grant was a truly wonderful intelligent human being without an angry or uncivil bone in his body. He was a loyal friend, loving husband and father, and always concerned about Malibu.”
Malibu Times publisher Karen York chimed in as well, having been familiar with Grant Adamson, his wife Terry, and his daughters Lauren and Megan since they were little, 

“We are devastated — Arnold [York] and I have known the family for years and watched the girls grow up.”