John’s body has now been found.
All news stories and video relating to John are being archived on this site.
We wish to express appreciation to everyone who has helped us and are helping at this difficult time. The outpouring of love and kindness has been overwhelming. We love John and will dearly miss his amazing spirit, but are grateful for the knowledge of where he’s at and that we’ll see him again.
May 26th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
I am so very sad to hear this news. I was holding out hope that he was alive. God bless your family.
May 26th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Emily our hearts go out to you. So Sorry to hear about this. We will keep you in our prayers.
Brooke and Mike
May 26th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Emily,
Our hearts are just broken. You are in our thoughts and prayers.
May 26th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Emily, you and your family are in our thoughts and prayers. Our hearts and love go out to you.
Lana and Jimmy Holmes
May 26th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
thoughts and prayers from Columbus, Ohio —
May 26th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
We are so very sorry for your loss. May our Father in Heaven bless you and lift you up during this very difficult time. May he lift your burden and give you peace through the knowledge of eternal families and Christ atonement that makes it possible. God bless.
Tom, Mindy and crew
May 26th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Each one of us in the cs-16 class of 2006 are devastated with this news. You’re in all of our prayers. John was an important part of our lives for two years and its difficult to see this happen to such a great person. Please let any of us know what we can do to help.
May 26th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
To the Alley and Allen families,
I’m mourning with you, and praying that you will be comforted during this time of sorrow. I wish that those of us who love you could somehow lighten your suffering by our sharing of this grief.
I have been overwhelmed by the many expressions of love which I’ve seen and read on this and many other web sites, and realize how deeply loved John, and each of you, are by so many. May you have peace as you remember what he brought to you, and to so many others. What a wonderful tribute to each of you.
With great love,
Lynda Allen
May 26th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
To the Allen family,
We are so saddened to hear this! We will be praying for you and Emily. We love you.
the Parkin Family
May 26th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
Emily and the Alley family,
I am so sorry for your loss. John is a great man, and he will be sorely missed by many. He touched so many lives for good. I always considered John one of my best friends, and even though the last time we talked was before my mission, I still consider him one of the best friends I’ve had.
“God be with you till we meet again,” John Alley, and may Heavenly Father bless and keep Emily and the rest of the family.
May 26th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
All our thoughts and prayers and love go to the family - our hearts are broken to hear this news.
May 26th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
John was my mission companion for three months in Venezuela. He was and still is, without a doubt, a great man. I am so sorry to hear of this tragic news. I know that John loved life and the gospel. He was an example to me and all those who knew him. I feel honored to say that I served by his side. Many of my most fond memories of my mission include walking by his side, just talking about life, as we traveled the streets of Venezuela. He was the best mission companion I had. I learned so much from him.
Emily, I don’t know you, but I can only imagine what you are going through. My heart goes out to you. I loved your husband like a brother. I don’t know how to express the feelings I felt when I was around him. He really did carry the spirit with him wherever he went. He will truly be missed. May the Lord be with you in this time of trial.
May 27th, 2008 at 6:56 am
Emily,
Just a word from all your genealogy buddies that we are so saddened by the news.
We know you’ll keep your faith and get through this,
Jim
May 27th, 2008 at 7:54 am
What an example John was to our family. Our prayers are with you, Alleys and Emily.
May 27th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Its been a long time sinceI had the pleasure of hanging out with John and his family. John- you were always a inspiration to me and a great friend and climbing buddy. You will be missed.
The Alley family and all affected are in my prayers right now.
May 27th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone. John will be truly missed. We love you guys.
May 27th, 2008 at 10:00 am
John was always such a great young man. Happy, outgoing, a great example, … there aren’t enough good adjectives to describe him! Holly remembers him as the nicest senior at AAHS while she was an underclassman. All our love to your family–we’ll keep you in our prayers.
May 27th, 2008 at 10:04 am
Emily and Family,
I am praying for you. Deepest condolences.
May 27th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Marianne and I express our heartfelt sympathy at the loss of John. He was the best of men. I was John’s Honorary Commander when he was a part of the 421st FS “Black Widows” at Hill AFB. We attended his wedding at beautiful “This is the Place” State Park in Utah. Emily glowed and John was one happy guy.
Your faith will sustain you through the coming days. This has affected us deeply, and you are in our prayers. I will always remember “Sweep”. Til we meet again …
May 27th, 2008 at 11:09 am
Julie & Family,
I am very sorry to hear the news today. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and ur family. WE LOVE YOU JULIE.
ANG @ skyridge
May 27th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Emily,
We are so sorry for your loss. We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers.
with love,
Casey and Missy
May 27th, 2008 at 11:49 am
To all John’s Family,
I along with my family are truly sorry to hear this news. John was always one of my favorite people to joke around with. You are all in our prayers. We love you guys very much.
May 27th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
We have been following your story and are so sorry. John was always a great friend to my brother Justin. We will remember his beautiful smile.
May 27th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
We are so sorry for this news and are keeping you in our prayers!
May 27th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
You have been in my mind and prayers constantly for the last few days. I grieve for you and for your family. I know you were so proud of John and the wonderful individual he was. The two of you seemed like brilliant twin stars just dazzling with happiness to be together and to take on the world together.
You are so loved.
May 27th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
My heart is completely broken for you, Em. I wish you and your families all the peace, hope, and comfort in the world.
May 27th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Emily,
I love you dearly. I haven’t stopped thinking of you and praying for you and sharing tears of grief. I feel so close to you write now and sucked right into your nightmare with you. My husband, children and myself have not stopped praying for you. It is so ironic that we got in touch with each other right before this all happened. I am thankful to be apart of your life right now and look forward to helping you out. I admire your strength and courage and want to help in anyway I can. Know you are loved and supported and I am here for you. Alena
May 27th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Emily,
My entire family has been grieving for you and with you. We love you more than you know. John was and is a remarkable man. Your are amazing. You are in our prayers constantly.
Alisa
May 27th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
Alley Family,
I was so saddened to hear the news. Your family is in our thoughts and prayers! I wish I could say more but please just know there are people everywhere praying for you. Emily, I don’t know you but I hope that you will find peace.
The Cannon Family
May 27th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Dear Emily,
My wife and I just got a phone call from an old friend in the ward out in Colorado Springs. This is just terrible.
John and I went through basic training together at the Academy and sang in the LDS Cadet Choir and played intramurals and hung out in church and in institute and just a million other times and places. I graduated before him because I served my mission before starting school. But man what a guy. John is my friend. And so much less than you this makes me sad to tears. God bless you Emily and I pray He lifts you up. I am so angry. I am so sad. I am so much the same as John it makes me sick to think this happened.
Just so you know, my first memory of John was on the second or third day of basic when we got out of our nonstop beatdown training for an hour to go to chapel time. All the Mormons were given what we affectionately called the telestial kingdom of the chapel because we were in the basement of a three level building. I remember looking around the room and there were a lot of sad scared faces, mine own included. But after we found out that we were safe and Col Neal wasn’t going to yell at us, though he looked like he might, we all started to open up. That’s where I met John; we all became a close group bonded by our experiences and mostly by our religion. God bless him. Later I saw him in the dining facility, Mitchell Hall. He leaned out of line and turned his head toward me, because he’d recognized me walk past. This was a big no-no and invited the fury of at least four upper classmen but he did it anyway because he wanted to say hi. He just gave me that silly grin, not as goofy as TJ Greenwoods but as trademarked as you know it. John Alley is a good man and I still love him for helping me that day.
Emily, we are a thousand miles apart, you have never met me and really I’d be surprised if you do but I would like you to know that you are thought of in prayers throughout the Air Force, the country, the world and on the rolls of temples everywhere. Your Church family never ends nor does your Air Force family. If you are in need of anything, if you want to talk, if you want to cry, if your baby ever has any need, if there is anything that we can do - we will. We all will. We love you and your family because your husband is such a great man.
May God Bless and keep you. A toast to the host my friend.
Adam and Michelle Bradbury
May 28th, 2008 at 6:43 am
Emily,
I was shocked to hear of your loss. I can’t imagine your pain but want you to know that I’m here for you. Please call if you need anything. I’m praying for you. I know the Lord loves you and will see you through this. We love you.
Cale and Kara
May 28th, 2008 at 9:18 am
Emily,
I heard of the news from some of the girls at The Generations Network, and I am so sorry! I can’t imagine what you are experiencing right now, but please know that there are people throughout the country who love you and are praying for you to feel peace. Probably more people than you can imagine.
I was so excited for you when I saw your wedding announcement last year and now I am extra grateful for eternal families! I will keep praying for you that Heavenly Father can bless you to feel peace as you grieve.
Kim Butt
May 28th, 2008 at 11:15 am
As a former cadet of Lt Col Alley and as John’s former academic advisor while he was in CE, this news is horribly hard to take. I cannot begin to imagine how the Alley family is doing, but I will pray for them and keep them in my thoughts and prayers. There is nothing more to say, but I only hope that time can heal these wounds
Major Patrick Suermann and family
May 28th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Emily and family-
I don’t even know what to say. I am so sorry! I heard what happened from the link to your Facebook Group. I can’t even imagine what you are feeling, but know that my prayers are with you and your family. I know that the Lord will bless and comfort you and that you will feel peace.
Love, Beth
May 28th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
With great sorrow in my heart I learned of the tragedy today at usafa.org trying to determine if the U.S. Thunderbirds would fly today.
The story is right their… Former Missionary… I had invited the missionaries over to watch the Thunderbirds, but the tragedy that has befallen your family was heavy in my heart.
I have a lit a candle in your sons honor:
zoomE
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/view.cfm?l=eng&c=6054324
Respectfully,
Ash
Oregon Eugene Mission 1993- 1995
Former U.S. Marine 1995- 1996
HOME
I wish I were with you, I couldn’t stay
Every direction leads me away
Pray for tomorrow, but for today
All I want is to be home
Stand in the mirror, you look the same
Just looking for shelter, from the cold and the pain
Someone to cover, safe from the rain
All I want is to be home
Echoes and silence, patience and grace
All of these moments I’ll never replace
Fear of my heart, absence of faith
All I want is to be home
All I want is to be home
People I’ve loved, I have no regrets
Some I remember, some I forget
Some of them living, some of them dead
All I want is to be home.
Foo Fighters c. 2007
May 30th, 2008 at 7:29 am
I do not know you or your beloved husband, John, but heard this tragic news through my son and daughter-in-law (Marine flight student). I want to convey my deepest condolences to you and all of your family. I have shed tears today for this young man whose life was taken so prematurely. We do not know God’s plan for him and I pray that you will find strength and courage through your faith, that you and your child will live in peace and always know that John is with Him.
May 30th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
My prayers go out to you, Emily, and your’s and John’s baby. May God comfort you in this time of sorrow, knowing that so many people care about you and your husband.
Gio Espegio, USAFA ‘06
May 31st, 2008 at 4:54 pm
I’m praying for you, your husband, and your families. I pray you can all feel the Savior’s peace.
Much love,
Diane Matson
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:44 pm
I am so sorry for your loss. I pray that you will be comforted and that angels will be about you lifting you up.
Sincerely,
Mary Beth Swainhart Pocock
June 4th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
To all John’s loved ones: Though John is gone he will never be forgotten. I went to HS with John and have some many memories of the good times we all had together. I went through some old photos and found pictures of that famous John smile, doing what he loved and being with the people he loved. Though John is gone, there are many, many who have be touched by him and who will never forget him for the passionate, devoted, person he was.
Adrienne Bergenfeld AAHS ‘00
June 12th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
John and I went to high school together. His mother and my mother were friends. He was such a sweet soul. I am deeply saddened to hear of recent events and my heart and prayers go out to you and his family.
Chrissy Wood