WEDDINGTON, N.C. — Union County is in mourning after a Coast Guard officer died after her Navy training plane crashed in a southern Alabama neighborhood.
Ensign Morgan Garrett, of Waxhaw, and instructor pilot Navy Lt. Rhiannon Ross were conducting a training flight when the plane crashed into a residential community in Foley, Alabama early-Friday evening.
Garrett was a 2015 Weddington High School alumnus and a 2019 U.S. Coast Guard Academy graduate.
Jackie Washington was Morgan Garrett's high school counselor, and she said Garrett excelled in academics and in athletics, where she was a state champion on the school's track team.
"She walked these very halls that we're standing in, and her smile just radiated. Her energy was contagious," Washington said. "She always knew that she wanted to serve our country."
At the Coast Guard Academy, Ensign Garrett majored in marine and environmental sciences, and she ran track and field in mid-distance events.
Washington said Garrett's appointment to the Coast Guard Academy convinced other students to apply, and Garrett mentored one student who got appointed a year later.
"She just was so kind-hearted. Just a hard work ethic and just a positive human being," Washington said. "Her spirit was so positive. it was a contagious spirit."
Washington said no plans have been set yet on how best to honor Garrett.
Union County Public Schools released the following statement from the high school:
"Weddington High School mourns the loss of our 2015 graduate, Morgan Garrett, who died while serving our nation. Morgan was a leader in the classroom, on the athletic fields and in our local community. Her leadership, commitment to excellence and infectious smile left a lasting impression on our school community. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends during this difficult time."