Wauwatosa plane crash, pilot Daniel Perleman laid to rest
WAUWATOSA, Wis. - The young pilot who died after a plane crash in Wauwatosa Thursday, May 26 was laid to rest a week later.
A memorial service took place at the Chabad Jewish Center of Waukesha County after a funeral Thursday. The messages written on the walls inside speak volumes about this young man’s impact.
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After Daniel Perleman died from his injuries days after the crash, his friends and family set up the website Deeds for Daniel through which 1,300 pledges have brought light during a dark and difficult time.
Daniel Perelman
"In Judaism, we believe that our good deeds illuminate the world," said Rabbi Levi Brook.
"You feel a little bit helpless," said Fraidy Brook, Chabad Jewish Center of Waukesha County. "Then the thought was, what did Daniel do when he was with us?"
Each message, something as simple as complimenting a stranger or a promise to donate blood, was posted on the wall of the Chabad Jewish Center of Waukesha County. Every word brought some peace during Perelman's funeral.
"He was easily the smartest person in the room at any given time, but he always made everyone around him feel comfortable," said Rabbi Brook.
Daniel Perelman
The Northwestern University student got his student pilot’s license last fall. On May 26, the plane he was flying out of Timmerman Airport crashed in a nearby neighborhood.
One week later, pilots touched by Perelman's passing organized a flyover at his funeral in Brookfield.
"His father just wept," said Diane Mcgeen, Chabad Jewish Center of Waukesha County.
It all culminated in a graveside service with friends and family saying goodbye to a young life cut short. Through the good deeds he inspired, there’s hope Perelman lifted us all higher than the sky.
"When you look into a dark place – it seems hopeless," said Rabbi Brook. "One light in that darkness illuminates a little. More and more lights create an environment of change."
Perelman saved several lives as an organ donor.
The FAA and NTSB are investigating what caused the crash.