Vince Neil‘s vibrant birthday celebration in Florida has proven to be a potential lifesaver, as it was the very reason the iconic Mötley Crüe frontman was not aboard a tragic private jet flight that resulted in the death of his long-time pilot.

According to Vince’s close friend, Lance Graves, who spoke to TMZ, the events unfolded just before Vince’s private jet was involved in a devastating crash on Monday in Arizona. At that time, Neil and his friends were joyfully celebrating his sixty-fourth birthday in sunny Florida.

The tragic incident involved Vince’s girlfriend, Rain, who was on the ill-fated flight along with her friend. Upon arriving at Scottsdale Airport, the aircraft lost control and collided with a parked jet, leading to the unfortunate death of Vince’s pilot. Thankfully, Vince was not on board during this fatal accident.

As per the information shared by Vince’s friend, Rain needed to be in Arizona to prepare for a gig at the Royal Crown barrel racing competition, a prominent equestrian event. However, Vince didn?t need to arrive for the event until Thursday, which allowed him to stay in Florida and continue enjoying the beautiful beachside festivities.

As highlighted in our earlier reports, Vince’s girlfriend endured five broken ribs from the crash incident. She was traveling with a friend who also sustained injuries, and the aircraft’s co-pilot experienced injuries as well, making this incident a traumatic experience for all involved.

According to Vince’s friend, Rain will not participate in the barrel racing competition due to the time needed for recovery from her injuries, both physically and emotionally. They assure that Vince’s friends will provide her with the necessary “time and grace” for her healing process.

The manager of Mötley Crüe previously expressed that Vince’s heart goes out to the pilot’s family during this difficult time. The band is actively brainstorming ways they can offer support and assistance to those affected by this tragic event.

Vince’s friend shared that the pilot, a 78-year-old Marine veteran, had flown with Vince for many years. Vince felt a strong sense of loyalty to hire him after he retired from commercial airlines, wanting to support his long-time friend in his career transition.