Alexander Wurm, 53, founder of Ignite the Fire Ministry and his daughter Serena, 22, were killed on November 10 when the small plane he was piloting crashed into a Coral Springs lake while they were en route to deliver hurricane relief supplies to Jamaica.
Wurm, an evangelist deeply respected throughout the Caribbean and by pastors in South Florida, had devoted his life to missions, youth evangelism and humanitarian outreach. Through Ignite the Fire Ministry, he trained young volunteers, led mission teams across the region, and responded quickly to crises with practical aid and the message of Christ.
“Alexander… devoted his life to serving others – both through his actions and by sharing the gospel of Jesus across the globe,” Ignite the Fire said in a statement, noting that Serena had followed in his footsteps as “a beacon of empathy and hope.”
Dr. Alex Umole, pastor of Christian Life Center in Sunrise, said Wurm’s impact reached far beyond his own ministry. “Alexander was a well-known missionary and friend among the Assemblies of God community of pastors,” Umole said.
The 1976 Beechcraft King Air had taken off from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport shortly after 10 a.m. and was bound for Montego Bay International Airport. According to officials, the aircraft crashed moments after takeoff, tearing through a backyard fence in the Windsor Bay neighborhood before plunging into a lake.
Mike Moser, deputy chief of Coral Springs Fire Rescue, said divers searched the water but initially found no victims. FAA data and FlightAware records show Wurm had made four relief flights to or from Jamaica in the past week, carrying water filters, Starlink internet kits and other urgently needed supplies.
Crisis Response International said Wurm’s repeated flights “saved lives,” calling his final mission an extension of a life spent serving others.
Wurm is survived by his wife, Candace, and children James, 17, and Christiana, 20.
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