Who Is Kurt Villani Grand Island NY and Wife Monica?

Kurt Villani of Grand Island NY is the man at the center of a car crash that occurred at Niagara Falls near the U.S-Canada border.

Villani and his wife were in a Bentley that miraculously went airborne and got destroyed in a crazy explosion.

It was an event that for a short while sparked fears of an act of terror but has now been confirmed as a simple accident involving an affluent couple.

The couple were formally identified Friday, although prior to that clues given by the media and some little detective work led us to identify them ahead of time.

Join us in this article as we break down everything we know about Kurt and Monica Villani of Grand Island NY.

Who is Kurt Villani Grand Island NY?

Kurt P Villani of Grand Island NY is an American man who died alongside his wife, Monica, in the explosive car crash at Rainbow Bridge near Niagara Falls on the U.S Canada border.

53-year-old Kurt Villani is a businessman from a prominent Grand Islands family, the Daily Mail reports.

Kurt P. Villani was born to his parents, Kurt M. Villani and Gail Villani in Grand Islands NY.

Kurt was married to his wife, Monica Villani, who also died in the car crash with him.

Kurt and Monica owned several businesses in New York including Gui’s Lumber, inherited from Kurt’s father.

Investigators believe Villani had plans to attend a KISS concert in Canada with his wife, but after it was canceled he went to a casino in the US instead.

The crash occurred sometime after the couple left the casino, sources said.

Kurt was driving his $300,000 Bentley “extraordinarily high rate of speed” when it approached the border crossing around 11:30 a.m. and hit a barrier, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said.

The impact sent the car soaring several feet into the air before it came crashing down into a Customs and Border Protection booth and burst into flames, Hochul said.

She described footage of the incident as “absolutely surreal.”

Daily Mail reported later in the day that Kurt Villani possibly suffered a medical emergency whilst behind the wheel of the car, leading to the crash.

“The 56-year-old [Kurt Villani] is thought to have suffered some kind of impairment before hitting a barricade at high speed and flying into the crossing,” the paper said.

“The driver of the Bentley ‘Flying Spur’ was seen shooting off the intersection and over an 8ft fence before exploding into a fireball that killed him and his wife,”

And in a New York Post update, they revealed that authorities are looking into whether the Villanis’ brand new $300l Bentley had suffered a mechanical malfunction.

“We’re investigating every issue,” police Superintendent John Faso told The Post Friday when asked about possible mechanical failure.

Following their tragic demise, friends of Kurt Villani Grand and his wife gathered for an event at the Niagara Sailing Club on Thanksgiving to mourn the pair, who were members of the club.

“People were just incredibly shocked. It’s just not only a younger couple like that, but so ingrained and influential in this community,” club treasurer Scott Henderson told WGRZ.

“It’s really shock and devastation and it’s just gut-wrenching really, really. They were so loved. They were so generous and kind and always willing to help,” Neighbor Mary Meyer also said.

“You know, just plowing everybody’s driveway for the love of it, you know what I mean? Just always willing to help and lend a hand. Always. always, always.

“They were just so very, kind wonderful people,’ she went on.

Mary’s husband Chuck Meyer also said that the couple regularly gave to groups such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of Niagara Falls and in Northtowns in Western New York.

Scott Henderson of the Niagara Falls Sailing Club said that the Villani’s had been hugely generous in helping to rebuild its building following a fire in 2021.

“Without those folks we would have never, never been able to this extent rebuild this beautiful club,” he said.

Monica Villani Grand Island NY

Monica Villani of Grand Island, NY, was the wife of Kurt Villani and died with him in the crash.

The couple were intending on driving to a KISS concert in Canada, CNN’s John Miller reported, which was later canceled due to a band member suffering from flu.

Miller said there was some speculation the driver, believed to be Kurt Villani from a well-known family in Grand Island had a medical issue.

The dramatic crash closed the Rainbow Bridge on the eve of Thanksgiving.