When tragedy struck

Together, they had one child, and Charisse also had a son from a previous marriage. Despite her glamorous image, her personal life mostly remained private, stable, and free from scandal — a rare feat in Hollywood.

But tragedy struck Cyd Charisse’s family on May 25, 1979, the start of the Memorial Day weekend, when American Airlines Flight 191 crashed just outside Chicago.

The flight, bound from O’Hare to L.A., lost an engine shortly after takeoff and plunged into a suburban trailer park in Des Plaines, Illinois, killing all 258 passengers, 13 crew members, and two people on the ground.

Among the victims was Sheila Charisse, the 36-year-old wife of Nico Charisse, Cyd’s son from her first marriage.

The crash was the deadliest civilian air disaster in U.S. history before 9/11, and it shook the flying public’s confidence in the DC-10. The plane was soon largely relegated to cargo service, where it still serves both domestically and internationally. Today, the only memorial to the 273 lives lost is a weathered banner near the crash site — a quiet reminder of that devastating day.

Nico Charisse, Sheila’s husband, had a unique Hollywood upbringing. Born to Cyd Charisse and her first husband, Nico Charisse Sr., a much older dance teacher, Nico Jr. became practically adopted by Tony Martin after Martin married Cyd in 1948. With a new half-brother, Tony Martin Jr., and loving, healthy parents, Nico Jr. grew up in a stable, drama-free Hollywood household—something rare in the industry.

In the late 1960s, Nico had met Sheila Marie Snodgrass. They married, and life seemed full of promise. Nico had just been admitted to the California Bar in 1977 and was beginning his career as a lawyer. But just two years later, the family’s world was shattered when Sheila died in the Flight 191 crash.

The disaster not only took lives but also left an indelible mark on Cyd Charisse and her family — a heartbreaking reminder that even those surrounded by Hollywood glamour are not spared from tragedy.