Near Truckee Tahoe Airport in California, a single-engine aircraft crashed, killing Israeli soccer star turned venture entrepreneur Liron Petrushka and his wife, Naomi Petrushka.
David, Scott, and Jordan are their sons.
The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office has not identified the bodies of the Petrushkas because of the nature of the aftermath. The collision and fire that followed will necessitate “forensic analysis.”
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is spearheading an investigation into the cause of the crash. A Preliminary Report Should Be released within the next three to four weeks.
The NTSB in California examined twenty fatal aviation accidents involving small planes last year.
A private jet with two engines went down at an airfield in Florida on the same day that the Petrushkas perished, while an aircraft with one engine went down in Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay.
Liron’s areas of expertise in Israel were financial technology, markets, and software subscription services. He became a very active investor after losing $700,000 in Pets.com. He invested in the groundbreaking peer-to-peer lending network LendingClub while it was still in its early stages.
Leap Academy’s current CEO, Ilana Golan, said on Facebook that Liron was an investor in her very first startup and one of the most humble, friendly, and kind people she met.
Golan is an entrepreneur who provides executive career development services. She said she always wanted to tell him how much of an influence he had on her life.
Successful businesswoman Sharon Savariego said Liron was always supportive, giving honest and direct feedback. Liron was someone you could rely on to tell you the truth—no matter how unpleasant it was—and yet provide you with a helping hand. His love for Israel was unwavering.
The Petrushkas played significant roles in UpWest, a Silicon Valley startup fund that supported Israeli entrepreneurs seeking entry into the American software industry.
