HALIFAX -- Home played an important part in the life of Capt. Jenn Casey, but she was truly known far and wide.

Casey died after the Canadian Forces Snowbird jet she was in crashed shortly after taking off in Kamloops, B.C., on Saturday.

"She was a really proud Nova Scotian, she really was, she was true blue," says Corrine MacLellan, a friend of Casey. "There was no challenge that she didn't meet with the full force of her effort. If she set her mind to something, she would accomplish it. If she decided to run a 10K it wouldn't be a regular 10K, it would be a 10K across the Cabot Trail."

People who worked with Casey say she could turn a bad day into a good one.

"I always thought Jenn was a terrific person to work with," said Jordi Morgan. "She really was a bright light and always had a very positive attitude, but she was smart, she wasn't Pollyannaish; she understood what was going on the world."

The Halifax radio station where Casey used to work spent much of Tuesday remembering the former colleague.

"Jenn was a valued co-worker and good friend to many of us here at News 95.7 and her death shook us all to the core," said Rick Howe. "She was a special person and she will be sorely missed."

Canada's aviation community is small, but Casey had a larger-than-life personality that made her stand out.

"When I found out it was her, my stomach was in my throat," said pilot Elizabeth Jackson. "No words, honestly."

Gov.-Gen. Julie Payette also praised Casey.

"She was fantastic, and if you followed her tweets and communications she had this exact tone in making us follow the Snowbirds and really understand all the way to the end."

Morgan said the restrictions placed on large gatherings because of the COVID-19 pandemic make the death of a friend or loved one more difficult.

"Not being able to come together, not being able to share some of this grief I think is one of the toughest parts," Morgan said. "This is going to be particularly a tough one. People are going to want to get together, they're going to want to hug one another, and not being able to do it is making all that much painful."