Former pastor remembers victim of plane crash in Wyoming

SUSPECT INFORMATION. NEW: ACCIDENT IN WYOMING KILLED A WOMAN WITH TRIAD TIES. MELODY HODGES WAS ONE OF SEVEN PEOPLE KILLED IN FRIDAY’S ACCIDENT, ALONG WITH THREE MEMBERS OF A POPULAR GOSPEL GROUP. KARA PETERS MEETS WITH HODGES, THE FORMER PASTOR, AND TELLS THEM ABOUT THE IMPACT SHE HAD ON HER CHURCH CONGREGATION. MICHAEL BARRETT TELLS ME THAT MELODY HODGES BECAME A MEMBER OF PLEASANT GARDEN BAPTIST CHURCH IN 1998. HE SAYS WHAT HE WILL REMEMBER MOST ABOUT HER IS THAT HER CALLING TO SERVE OTHERS, TO HELP SOMEONE, WAS ALWAYS THE RIGHT THING, AND THAT WAS HER LIFE. SAYS MICHAEL BARRETT. HE WAS MELODY HODGES, PASTOR OF PLEASANT GARDEN BAPTIST CHURCH FOR OVER 20 YEARS. FROM THE MOMENT SHE WALKED THROUGH THE DOORS, SHE WAS COMMITTED. THE MOST IMPORTANT QUALITY OF HER LIFE WAS HELPING OTHERS. ER, GREAT SMILE. ER, LOVE PEOPLE, LOVE JESUS. SHE WENT ON A MISSIONARY TRIP AGAIN TO USE HER TALENTS. AND SHE USED HER TALENTS IN A WONDERFUL WAY. SHE WAS OUR INTERPRETER. BARRETT SAYS HODGES MOVED TO ATLANTA DURING THE PANDEMIC TO WORK WITH KNEELAND’S GOSPEL GROUP. HIS DAUGHTER USED TO WORK WITH HODGES. SHE FINALLY BROKE HIM THE NEWS OF THE FATAL ACCIDENT ON FRIDAY. THINGS HAPPEN AND YOU HEAR ABOUT THEM, BUT WHEN THEY HIT TOO CLOSE TO HOME AND CLAIM THE LIFE OF SOMEONE WHO WAS A PART OF YOUR LIFE AND YOUR PATH AND BLESSED YOU AND ENCOURAGED YOU, THEN IT REALLY HITS YOU AND IT’S HARD. ACCORDING TO A STATEMENT FROM GAITHER MANAGEMENT GROUP, THE PLANE WAS ENTRANCE TO A CRUISE TO ALASKA AT THE TIME, THREE MEMBERS OF THE NELSONS AND FOUR OTHERS, INCLUDING HODGES, WERE KILLED. BARRETT SAYS HE WILL ALWAYS HONOR HER DEVOTION TO GOD AND HER LOVE OF HELPING THOSE IN NEED. One of the stories I heard just yesterday was that she was bringing ice cream to a lady who was going through a rough time and she and her friend brought some popsicle sticks. The lady said she loved ice cream. She asked, what are the popsicle sticks for? So we know you’re going through a rough time. We’re going to build a bridge to help you get through it. And that’s been our life. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the accident. An NTSB spokesman says preliminary information shows there was a problem with the autopilot during the flight, and Guilford County, I’m KA

“Helpers for others”: Former pastor remembers victims of plane crash in Wyoming

Melodi Hodges was one of the seven people killed in a plane crash in Wyoming on Friday. Her former pastor says she faithfully served Pleasant Garden Baptist Church for more than 20 years.

Updated: 12:29 EDT, July 30, 2024

Michael Barrett, director of missions for the Piedmont Baptist Association, says he was Melodi Hodges’ pastor at Pleasant Garden Baptist Church for over 20 years. From the moment she walked through the doors, she was involved. “That was probably the most important feature of her life: She was a helper to others. She had a great smile, loved people, loved Jesus,” Barrett said. “She went on a mission trip again to use her talents, and she used her talents in a wonderful way, she was our interpreter.” Barrett says Hodges moved to Atlanta during the pandemic to work with the family gospel group The Nelons. His daughter used to work with Hodges. On Friday, she finally shared the news of the fatal crash with him. “These things happen and you hear about them, but when they come so close to you and claim the life of someone who was part of your life and your journey, who blessed you and encouraged you, it really hits you hard,” Barrett said. According to a statement from Gaither Management Group, the plane was en route to a cruise in Alaska at the time. Three members of “The Nelons” and four other people, including Hodges, were killed. Barrett says he will always honor her devotion to God and her love of helping those in need. “One of the stories I heard just yesterday was she brought some ice cream to a lady who was going through a rough time. And she and her friend brought some popsicle sticks,” Barrett said. “And the lady loved Ice Scream, but she said what were the popsicle sticks for? She said we know you’re going through a rough time, we’re going to build a bridge and help you get through it. And that was her life.” The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. An NTSB spokesman said preliminary information indicates there was a problem with the autopilot during the flight.

PLEASANT GARDEN, NC —

Michael Barrett, director of missions for the Piedmont Baptist Association, says he was Melodi Hodges’ pastor at Pleasant Garden Baptist Church for over 20 years. From the moment she walked through the door, she was committed.

“Probably the most important feature of her life was that she helped others. She had a great smile, loved people, loved Jesus,” Barrett said. “She went on a mission trip again to use her talents and she used them in a wonderful way. She was our interpreter.”

Barrett says Hodges moved to Atlanta during the pandemic to work with the family gospel group The Nelons.

His daughter used to work for Hodges. She told him about the fatal accident on Friday.

“These things happen and you hear about them, but when they hit you so close to home and take the life of someone who has been a part of your life and your journey and who has blessed you and encouraged you, it really hits you hard,” Barrett said.

According to a statement from the Gaither Management Group, the plane was en route to a cruise in Alaska at the time. Three members of The Nelons and four other people, including Hodges, were killed.

Barrett says he will always honor her devotion to God and her love for helping those in need.

“One of the stories I heard just yesterday was she brought an ice cream to a woman who was going through a rough time. And she and her friend took some popsicle sticks,” Barrett said. “And the woman loved Ice Scream, but she said what are the popsicle sticks for? (Hodges) said we know you’re going through a rough time, we’re going to build a bridge and help you get through it. And that was her life.”

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. An NTSB spokesman said preliminary information indicated there was a problem with the autopilot during the flight.