>>> OVER IF PAST FEW DAYS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET A LOOK INSIDE THE LYNARD SKYNARD BAND. LAST WEEK MARKED 40 YEARS SINCE THEY'RE PLANE CRASH ALMOST SILENCING THEIR LEGENDARY BAND. THEIR ASSISTANT ROAD MANAGER, DEAN KILPATRICK, THE PILOT, CO-PILOT ALSO DIED. 20 OTHERS SURVIVED. TOM WILLS, THE ONLY LOCAL REPORTER TO GO TO THE SCENE OF THAT CRASH. THAT WAS RIGHT AFTER THAT TRAGIC NIGHT IN 1977. HE'S BEEN PROVIDING JUST SUCH INSIGHTFUL REPORTS O THE BANDS' LEGACY. RECENTLY THE BAND PERFORMED A THE ST. AUGUSTINE AMPHITHEATER AND TOM GOT TO GO BACK DISPAIBLG TALK TO RON ANY VAN ZANT'S FAMILY MEMBERS. HERE IS A LOOK AT THE THEM MORABLE MOMENT. THEM OORABLE MOMENT SWEE HOME, ALABAMA ♪ WHERE THE SKIES ARE BLUE ♪♪ ♪♪ >> Nikki: YOU SEE THE LADIES UP THERE, ARIA IS IN THE CENTER AND DOING A GREAT JOB. SHE IS JOINING US NOW, THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF RONNIE VAN ZANT. WHAT WAS THAT LIKE TO GO UP STAGE AND PAY TRIBUTE TO YOUR FAMILY? >> IT WAS CRAZY, SO UNEXPECTED AND I LOVED IT. I FELT ALMOST LIKE A CONNECTION TO MY GRANDPA, BUT IT FELT NATURAL, I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. >> I WAS LOOK AT THE VIDEO FIRST, THEY SAID SHE'S UP THERE ON THEIGESTA, I'M LIKE WHICH ONE IS SHE. YOU SEEMED TO KNOW ALL THE MOVES. YOU BLENDED RIGHT IN. IT WAS HARD TO TELL THIS WASN'T YOUR NORMAL JOB. >> I DANCED FOR A WHILE AND IT WAS EASY TO PICK UP. AND ALREADY KNOW THE SONG SO WELL SO IT WASN'T HARD. >>> LET'S TALK ABOUT YOU, I KNOW YOU'RE A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR YOU BEING TH GRANDDAUGHTER OF SUCH A LEGEND, ESPECILY HERE I JACKSONVILLE. >> IT IS REALLY INTERESTING. I'VE MET A LOT OF REALLY COOL PEOPLE AND HEARD A LOT OF REALLY COOL STORIES, BUT, YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN TAUGHT TO TREAT OTHERS HOW YOU WANT TO BE TREATED AND PUT MY PANTS ON ONE LEG AT A TIME AS MY MOM SAYS. IT IS AWESOME. IT IS A COOL FEELING. >> Nikki: IN MY FAMILY MY GRANDFATHER WAS SO WELL-KNOWN AND BELOVED, BUT LIKE YOU, IER IN GOT TO MEET HIM. DO YOU EVER FEEL HE'S WITH YOU AND TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT. >>> I DO. >> Nikki: WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES YOU FEEL THAT WAY? EVERY TIME I'M IN THE CAR WITH MY MOM, IT DOESN'T DOESN'T MATTER IF I'M ALONE OR SHE'S ALONE, A SONG WILL COME ON THE RADIO. IF WE GO TO A RESTAURANT, IT IS EVERY SINGLE TIME. SO THAT IT IS A WEIRD FEELING, BUT I KNOW THAT HE'S THERE. AND ACTUALLY ONE TIME WE WERE DRIVING IN THE CAR LISTENING TO THE RADIO AND "FREE BIRD" CAME ON AND THEN "ONE SINGLE BIRD FLEW ACROSS THE CAR. >> THAT'S GREAT, WAY OF LETTING YOU KNOW HE'S WITH YOU AND. WE GOT TO SEE YOU ON STAGE AND WE KNOW THERE IS SO MUCH TALENT IN YOUR FAMILY ARE YOU MUSICAL? >> NOT AT ALL. >> CAN YOU SING? >> Nikki: A LITTLE SECRET ABOUT THE MICROPHONE YOU WERE HOLD ASKING IT WAS TURNED OFF. >>> I LOVE THAT YOU'RE SO DOWN TO EARTH THAT YOU CAN ADMIT THAT. OTHER THAN THAT NO ONE WOULD HAVE KNOWN. >> IT WAS SO FUN, I LOVED IT. >> YOU DO HAVE, YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE ARTS. SO WHAT CAREER DO YOU WANT TOT PURSUE? >> WELL, I HAVE A POSSIBLE INTERNSHIP OFF WITH A GUY NAMED A MOVIE PRODUCER, HE ACTUALLY PRODUCED "FREE BIRD" THE MOVIE AND ACTUALLY PRODUCED THAT MOVIE "MOTHER" WITH JENNIFER LAWRENCE. THAT WOULD BE A REALLY COOL JOB TO HAVE AND GET MY SPY THAT INDUSTRY. >>> SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE AND THE WAY I FIST MET YOU YEARS BACK IS YOU HAVE DIABETES, AND YOU'RE A SPOKESPERSON FOR JUVENILE DIABETES. HOWZ HAVE YOU HELPED ON THAT PLATFORM? >> WELL, MY FAMILY AND I ALTHOUGH DO A LOT OF WORK WITH THE JUVENILE DIABETES RESEARCH FOUNDATION. AND EVERY YEAR WE DONATE PROCEEDS FROM EVERY LYNARD SKYNARD WE TAKE $1 FROM TICKET SALES AND PUT IT TOWARDS JUNIOR DIABETES RESEARCH FOUNDATION. >> Nikki: I LOVE THAT, THAT IS FANTASTIC. GROWING UP WITH THAT, IT HAD TO BE A CHALLENGE. >>> IT WAS AND IT IS EVERY DAY. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT IS HARD WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND JURY SHAKING AND SWEATING BECAUSE YOUR BLOOD SUGAR IS LOW OR THE OPPOSITE WHEN IT IS REALLY HIGH AND SOMETIMES I HAVE TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL. BUT YOU UN, I LIKE A CHALLENGE AND IT IS IS REALLY BECAME A PART OF ME. I'VE HAD IT FOR ALMOST TEN YEARS NOW. I WA DIAGNOSED WHEN I WAS SEVEN, IT IS A NORMAL THING FOR ME AND IT IS SOMETHING I LIVE WITH AND IT IS A PART OF ME. >> I LOVE THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO HELP OTHER KIDS, YOU KNOW, AS THEY TAKE THIS JOURNEY AND START THAT JOURNEY. I GOT TO SEE YOU DO THAT AT ONE OF THE GALAS, AND I THINK THAT IS FANTASTIC. REMARKABLE YOUNG WOMAN. LAST QUESTION. FAVORITE LYNARD SKYNARD SONG? >> THAT'S A HARD ONE. "FREE BIRD," DEFINITELY. >> Nikki: THANK YOU. WE JUST LOVED HAVING YOU ON. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REPORTS ON NEWS4JAX.COM ON THE LYNARD SKYNARD LEGACY. YOU CAN FIND TOM WILLS INTERVIEW, THE ONLY SURVIVING MEMBER THAT IS STILL PLAYING IN THE ORIGINAL BAND. THERE IS ALSO A SLIDE SHOW OF THE BAND FROM NOW UNTIL TH
