Sudden loss of Buchanan Family stuns Lee County 

Cars crunched over the gravel, passing the white Buchanan Farms’ sign, its wooden posts flanked by six-foot evergreens. A few visitors padded onto the concrete patio, their hesitation revealing the weight of loss.

Behind the house, the farm moved with somber purpose. Calloused hands of friends and employees packed produce into boxes: filling, stacking, or breaking them down for the 15-foot truck awaiting the next delivery.

The Buchanans: Travis and Candace, both 35, and their children Walker, nine, and Aubrey, 10, died Monday afternoon in a small plane crash about one mile from the Raleigh Executive Jetport.

“The Buchanan family’s legacy is one rooted in God, community, and the American dream,” said Nickie Runyan, a local photographer who knew the family. She recalled how Candace and Travis often refused to charge her for vendor space at farm fundraisers. “They were truly invested in bettering the local community.”

The Buchanans launched their first-generation farm in 2022, sharing on Facebook, “We hope this will be a place where the community will love to stop by.”

“The Buchanans were more than just fellow farmers, they were a cornerstone of this community,” wrote Katelyn James of The Pint Size Pasture.

“Buchanan Farms was more than an agritourism business,” wrote the Sanford Visitors Center. “It was a place where memories were made, and the spirit of local agriculture shone brightly… Their tireless efforts not only enriched our local economy but also cultivated a profound sense of connection and belonging among us all.”

A fixture in Lee County, Buchanan Farms sits seven miles from downtown Sanford and just minutes from Broadway. The family ran a store, café, and produce stand, and regularly participated in the Sanford Farmers Market. As a destination for seasonal events, like the Strawberry Festival in May and Summer Fest a few weeks ago, the farm attracted local businesses and families from across the Central Carolina region.

Runyan described them as devoted parents who created a joyful space for families to gather.

“Travis, Candace, Aubrey, and Walker were truly a beacon of light in our community. Their love for one another and for their community was evident in all that they did,” Runyan said and she has launched a memorial raffle in their honor.

With a festival still set for July 26, watermelons brimmed from a box stacked on a crate in the barn. The pain in whispered exchanges among the gathered clung to the air, casting a grayness over the morning’s motion and color. Outside, a white pickup truck rumbled down the driveway toward Broadway Road, Buchanan Farms etched on the side, a quiet testament to the mission the family leaves behind.

July 9, 2025

Diara J. Townes

Journalist