Sharnell Tamieko “Mieko” Vernon, a 53-year-old cancer survivor, photographer and aviation enthusiast, died July 28 in a plane crash shortly after takeoff from Chandler Municipal Airport.
While authorities have not publicly identified the pilot, interviews with loved ones and records from the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office point to Vernon as the person flying the aircraft. Her cause and manner of death remained pending as of Aug. 11.
Vernon's family told The Arizona Republic they are requesting privacy as they grieve.
Friends and colleagues remembered Vernon as driven, adventurous and determined to make the most of life. They said she inspired those around her to push beyond their limits and embrace new experiences.
Here's what to know
about the woman who loved ones called encouraging, resilient and driven.
'Genuine person'
Terrance Lyles met Vernon while they attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale and remained friends with her for decades. They had not spoken in several years, but Lyles remembered Vernon as intelligent, meticulous and driven.
“Genuine, genuine person,” Lyles said. “I mean, one of the nicest people you would ever want to meet.”
Lyles said Vernon worked hard to build a life for herself and her son and pushed friends to expect more of themselves.
“She just liked to see excellence in other people,” Lyles said. “She did not make any excuses for herself.”
The last time Lyles spoke with Vernon, he said, she congratulated and encouraged him as he completed an Ironman competition. “That’s the type of person she was,” he said.
Lyles remembered Vernon as resilient, particularly during her breast cancer treatment. He said news of her death shocked friends from their Southern Illinois University community.
Vernon helped found cancer support group
Vernon helped start the Coalition of Blacks Against Cancer shortly after beginning her own breast cancer journey about 16 years ago, coalition President Dr. Sarah James said.
Vernon served on the organization’s board for several years as treasurer and remained involved after leaving the board as a community ambassador and photographer, James said.
James, a Mayo Clinic radiation oncologist, met Vernon after moving to the Valley in 2022. She later hired Vernon, who did professional photography, to take photos of her family.
Vernon also worked in finance at Mayo Clinic and supported the radiation oncology department where James worked. Vernon was highly regarded by colleagues and had a talent for explaining complex health care finance issues, James said.
Vernon’s connection to Mayo grew in part from the cancer care she received there, according to James. Vernon believed in the organization’s mission and later put her professional skills to work there, James said.
She said Vernon used her own experience with breast cancer to help show others that a diagnosis did not have to define the rest of their lives.
“You can not just survive cancer,” James said. “You can thrive after cancer.”
Living fully after cancer
Vernon wrote that doctors diagnosed her with an aggressive form of invasive breast cancer in December 2009. She was younger than 40 at the time and described herself as a triathlete who exercised five to six times a week.
She wrote in a survivor story published by the coalition that the diagnosis pushed her to research treatment options and make decisions about her care.
“Cancer has forever changed me,” Vernon wrote, adding that she would never look at life the same way again.
Vernon approached her cancer experience with “fearlessness” and “tenacity” and later used her story to show others that life could continue well beyond a diagnosis, James said.
Aviation became one of Vernon’s passions, according to James. She loved to travel, explore and connect with people from different backgrounds, and flying gave her another way to pursue those interests.
James recalled hearing about a career panel where colleagues expected Vernon to discuss her work in finance. Instead, Vernon said she was there to talk about aviation and the ways it could become a career or a passion.
“She really believed in getting the most out of it,” James said.
What happened in the Chandler plane crash?
The Piper PA-28-180 crashed about 7:49 p.m. shortly after taking off from Chandler Municipal Airport, National Transportation Safety Board spokesperson Keith Holloway previously told The Republic.
An initial Federal Aviation Administration accident notice described the flight as personal and listed the aircraft in the takeoff phase when it crashed.
The pilot was the only person aboard. No one on the ground was injured, according to Chandler police and the FAA.
Chandler firefighters extinguished flames at the crash site in a commercial area near Queen Creek Road.
Air traffic control audio captured a witness reporting that the plane had just departed before it went down.
“They just departed, looks like they went down right off the departure end,” the witness said in the recording.
The witness also reported seeing smoke near McQueen and Queen Creek roads.
What investigators are trying to determine
The NTSB is leading the investigation with assistance from the FAA. The cause had not been determined, as of Aug. 11.
Investigators planned to examine the aircraft and its maintenance history, along with the pilot’s license, ratings and recent flight experience, the NTSB said. They also planned to review air traffic control recordings, radar data, weather reports, witness accounts, video and electronic devices.
The agency previously said a preliminary report was expected within 30 days of the crash. A final report determining the probable cause and any contributing factors could take 12 to 24 months.
Have a news tip? Contact The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com at newstips@arizonarepublic.com.
Rey Covarrubias Jr. is a reporter for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Email him at: rcovarrubias@azcentral.com, and connect with him on Instagram, Threads, Bluesky and X (formerly Twitter) at @ReyCJrAZ.
Corina Vanek covers development for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at cvanek@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X @CorinaVanek.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: She thrived after cancer. Loved ones mourn Chandler crash pilot
