Christopher Cline best known as Christopher Cline was an American billionaire mining entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He died on July 4, 2019, in a helicopter crash in the Bahamas together with six other people and it’s alleged one of his daughter, Kameron N. Cline is among the victims.

Chris Cane had only two daughters, Candice L.Cline and Kameron N. Cline. His first wife was named Sabrina, and she died of cancer in 1987. An obituary for Sabrina’s father indicates that only Candice was her daughter with Chris Cline. His second wife was named Kelly, and they were married from 1993 to 2000. He has a daughter named Kameron Cline and two sons named Christopher and Alex in addition to Candice.

Chris Cline Age

Chris was 60 years old at the time of his death, he was born on July 5, 1958, in Beckley, West Virginia, U.S.

Chris Cline Net worth

According to Forbes Chris had an estimated net worth of  $1.8 billion.

Chris Cline Coal Billionaire

Cline made his fortune in coal mining. He started as an underground coal miner and later moved to management and finally founded the Foresight Energy. He was sometimes referred to as King Coal.

According to his website, he had more than 35 years experience in the coal industry and had developed and operated over 25 coal mining, processing and transportation facilities in the Appalachian Region and the Illinois Basin. He also controls more than three billion tons of coal reserves in Illinois and Central Appalachia.

“Chris Cline is the founder of Foresight Energy. Mr. Cline has more than 35 years of experience in the coal industry. as a contract miner in southern West Virginia, Mr. Cline has developed and operated over 25 coal mining, processing and transportation facilities in the Appalachian Region and the Illinois Basin, including some of the most productive longwall mining operations in the country. Today, Mr. Cline controls more than three billion tons of coal reserves in Illinois and Central Appalachia.”

Chris Cline Wife

Cline’s first wife was Sabrina who died in 1987 from breast cancer. In 1993 he married Kelly Cline but they divorced in 2000.

Chris Cline Children

Chris had four children; two sons, Alex T. Cline and Christopher L. Cline, and two daughters Candice Cline Kenan and Kameron N. Cline. According to Heavy.com Chris had a trust fund set for his children;

“A United States Securities and Exchange Commission document for Foresight Energy LP lists Cline’s children in referencing various trusts. For starters, there was the Alex T. Cline 2017 Irrevocable Trust, ‘the beneficiary of which is Alex T. Cline, a child of Mr. Cline,’ and ‘The Candice Cline Kenan 2017 Irrevocable Trust, the beneficiary of which is Candice Cline Kenan, a child of Mr. Cline.’ The document says there is also a “Christopher L. Cline 2017 Irrevocable Trust, the beneficiary of which is Christopher L. Cline, a child of Mr. Cline’ and the ‘Kameron N. Cline 2017 Irrevocable Trust, the beneficiary of which is Kameron N. Cline, a child of Mr. Cline’.”

Chris Cline Daughter

Chris has two daughters, Candice Cline Kenan, and Kameron Cline. According to Forbes, Cline named one of his coal mines after his daughter, Candice.

According to reports Chris was with one of his daughters, Kameron Cline when the helicopter crashed although authorities have not confirmed that information.

In addition to losing Chris Cline and his daughter, Kameron, the state lost a great guy in David Jude, who frequented @WVGA events.

I first met David while covering his son – former @HerdZone golfer & current pro Davey Jude.

Just a terrible tragedy for those within our state.

— Grant Traylor (@GrantTraylor) July 5, 2019

The Register-Herald reported that friends of Cline’s had told them that one of his daughters was among the victims, along with two young adults from Beckley, unidentified friends, and an unidentified helicopter mechanic from Florida.

The Bahamas Press also wrote; “We confirm Cline’s daughter, David Jude, Delaney Wykle, two unidentified friends and an unidentified helicopter mechanic from Florida are among the victims.”

According to Candice Facebook, she studied Real estate at the University of Georgia and lives in Charleston, South Carolina. She is the director of a private foundation. In 2011 she got married to James Graham Kenan, IV, who graduated from Charleston School of Law and passed the BAR.

Kameron was the youngest daughter and according to her Facebook page, she went to The Benjamin School, lives in West Palm Beach, Florida. She was a 2019 graduate of LSU and was in a sorority.

Chris Cline Elin Nordegren

Chris Cline began dating Elin Nordegren, Tiger Wood’s ex-wife, in 2013 after she divorced Tiger in 2010. They two split after a year of dating. They again reconciled in 2016 before breaking up again.

Chris Cline Helicopter Crash – Chris Cline Accident

On July 4, 2019, Chris died in a helicopter crash in the Bahamas with six other people. There are reports that his daughter, Kameron was also on board but the report has not been confirmed by the authorities.

The helicopter crashed near Walker’s Cay, Abaco, and is believed to have crashed shortly after taking off.

His death was confirmed by West Virginia Governor Jim Justice on Twitter. He tweeted;

“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. Cathy and I are praying for his family and all those involved in this tragedy.”

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 Jim Justice (@WVGovernor) July 5, 2019

Governor Matt Bevin of Kentucky also took to Twitter to pass his condolences and applauded Cline as a philanthropic person.

America lost a great man today. My family is heartbroken at the loss of our dear friend, Chris Cline. A brilliant businessman & one of the most generous people I have ever met. He came from humble beginnings & never forgot his roots. He loved America.”

Evan Jenkins, West Virginia Supreme Court Justice released a statement saying; “I am devastated by the loss of Chris Cline. A generous home state supporter who’s worked so hard for the YMCA in Beckley will be a lasting tribute to him. The most genuine person came out of the ‘School of Hard Knocks’ to achieve everything positive. This is a real loss of a loving father for his family, heartbreaking for them and all of the state.”