Billionaire Chris Cline was married twice previously but did not have a wife at the time of his death. The 60-year-old didn’t have a girlfriend, either, as far as the public knew, but he previously dated Tiger Woods’ ex-wife, Elin Nordegren.
Cline died following a helicopter crash on July 4. The coal executive was among seven people on board the aircraft that crashed off the coast of the Bahamas on Thursday evening. Cline’s daughter, a few of his friends, and the pilot were also killed.
“Bahamian police confirmed that seven people — four females and three males — died when a helicopter crashed near Grand Cay in the Abaco Islands on Thursday while on its way to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Police didn’t release the names of the victims. Officers and residents of Grand Cay discovered the aircraft, which had taken off at about 2 a.m. [Eastern] overturned in 16 feet of water on Thursday afternoon, police said,” according to NBC News.
Cline’s death was confirmed by West Virginia Governor Jim Justice and Supreme Court Justice Evan Jenkins on social media.
“Today we lost a WV superstar and I lost a very close friend. Our families go back to the beginning of the Cline empire – Pioneer Fuel. Chris Cline built an empire and on every occasion was always there to give. What a wonderful, loving, and giving man,” Governor Justice tweeted.
Cline was worth an estimated $1.8 billion at the time of his death, according to Forbes.
Here’s what you need to know:
He Dated Elin Nordegren for a few Years
Cline dated Tiger Woods’ ex-wife Elin Nordegren for a couple of years. The two were first spotted together in 2013 and were introduced by a mutual friend.
“Elin was introduced to Chris by a local friend because they seem to have a lot in common. They both have children, like to keep their personal lives quiet, believe in philanthropy, and enjoy leisure outdoor activity. They have a nice casual relationship that has blossomed into a romance. Elin is very impressed with him. She thinks he is a cool guy,” a source previously told People Magazine.
The two were on-and-off for a few years but it’s believed they went their separate ways sometime in 2017.
Nordegren has since moved on and is expecting her third child. Nordegren has two kids, Sam and Charlie, with Tiger Woods. Her third baby is with her current boyfriend, Jordan Cameron.
He Was Linked to Miss Florida USA Karina Brez in 2012
In 2012, Cline was linked to Miss Florida USA Karina Brez, according to SheKnows.
The Ukranian Brez lives in Florida and has her own equestrian-inspired jewelry line.
“Coming from three generations of jewelers, Karina’s parents immigrated to the U.S. from the Ukraine when she was a baby. From this legacy, she has learned first-hand the value of hard work and appreciates the gift of the American dream. Upon graduation from Dreyfoos School of the Arts,” reads the bio on her jewelry website.
He Was Married Twice & Had 4 Kids
Cline and his first wife were married until 1987 (it’s unclear when they got married). That year, Sabrina died of breast cancer, according to Us Weekly. Little is known about Cline’s relationship with Sabrina.
A few years later, Cline found love again. He married his second wife, Kelly, in 1993. The two split in 2000.
Cline had four children between his two marriages. It is believed that he had one daughter, Candice, with Sabrina and three kids, daughter Kameron, and sons Chris and Alex, with his second wife, Kelly. It’s unclear which daughter was involved in the helicopter crash.
Cline’s children each have a trust, according to a United States Securities and Exchange Commission document for Foresight Energy LP. You can view the document here.
For the Alex T. Cline 2017 Irrevocable Trust, the beneficiary is listed as Alex T. Cline, the son of Chris Cline. The Candice Cline Kenan 2017 Irrevocable Trust lists Candice Cline Kenan as the beneficiary. There is also the Christopher L. Cline 2017 Irrevocable Trust of which Cline’s son, Christopher is listed as the beneficiary, and the Kameron N. Cline 2017 Irrevocable Trust, which has daughter Kameron N. Cline listed.
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