All of my co-workers and I were dealt a shock when we learned that we lost one of our own suddenly. On Labor Day, Randy Nash and his wife Erika died when their private plane crashed outside of Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia. Randy was 34, Erika was 28.
Details are not all in yet, but they encountered some severe fog after takeoff , and upon trying to turn around, their Cessna 150 broke apart and ended in an area so densely wooded that resuers had to go by ATV. They spent the weekend in Virginia visiting family, and to attend Erika's 10 Year High School Reunion.
I didn't know Randy all that long. I've been at Newsome Automotive for 4 months, and Randy came two months before me, but he was a real good technician (not a mechanic), and he was pretty darned funny - I just can't tell you some of his jokes here. Most importantly, he was a real easygoing guy who seemed to be enjoying life - more than most of us do. Flying, jetskiing and riding his motorcycle were just a few of his hobbies. If you would have asked him what would he want to be doing when he died, one of those three would be it..... But my guess is he would ask for a little more time .
I hate to say this, but I've been here before. When I was 25, my buddy Andre was killed in an amateur speedbike race at Pocono Speedway. I didn't see him for almost a year til that Friday. We chatted , and decided to have lunch Monday and catch up - he died the next day. Some of us go our whole early adulthood without events like these, but usually we find an empty chair, or toolbox once or twice.
So what am I trying to say.... Don't fly or ride motorcycles?? I don't know, but I doubt it. What's more important is that we take the time to tell those around us that we appreciate them, because you never know. We might argue, might fight, but we're all a family - in one way or another. Tell someone thanks tomorrow.. As for me, thanks Randy - we miss you already. Let me know if they let jetskis in Heaven....
6 comments:
Amen to that ... you just never know what might happen.
Mike, from your last line, I'll infer that they were saved. From that, be heartened that we'll see them again on the streets of gold, but don't neglect those folks you will want to see there that you don't know about.
From your post, Randy and Erika took a piece of your heart with them and you have a piece of theirs in its place. It ain't touchy feely, it is part of the spiritual biology of the wild man we were born to be.
Having been in that I-81 corridor, unless you're getting over the clouds, flying through fog could be as imprudent as racing without a helmet or leathers... you could do it, but to quote Brad Stine, "PUT A HELMET ON!"
Keep your stick on the ice.
Sorry man. Friends are hard to come by and very hard to say good bye to.
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RANDY WAS MY BEST FRIEND/WE HAD BEEN FRIENDS FOR YEARS BEFORE HE MOVED THE SOUTH CAROLINA WE TALKED EVERYDAY ..JUST MINUTES BEFORE HE TOOK FLIGHT..I WISH MISS HIM DEEPLY AND OUR LONG WEEKEND BOAT TRIPS..LOVE YOU RANDY AND I WILL ALWAYS HAVE YOU IN MY HEART..CHRISTY
It does no good to place blame, especially 10 years later. But I know this for a fact. On 2 separate occasions that I am aware of , Ira tried to go flying when weather conditions were not conducive for flying. Once he took off out of Florence for "touch and go's" as thunderstorms were rapidly approaching from the west. He ended up landing safely and had to stop his plane on the ground as visibility and hail was so bad that he couldn't see where to the taxiiways were. (Imagine if he had still been in the air). Another time,.. the ceilings were less than 900 feet, and he asked the tower to depart. Conditions were IMC, so the tower could not let him. He was so confused, and didn't understand, that he pulled his plane back into the FBO, only to come back out 15 minutes later and request a Special vfr clearance to depart to the northwest. The conditions were horrible. However, he departed, and apparently, survived. When I heard of his accident, I was not surprised at all. I am not questioning his character or his belief in himself. But he obliviously believed that he was a more qualified pilot than he was,.. and he took the life of an innocent person. I don't blame him. I blame the system. Who was his flight instructor ? Who was his teacher that did not stress the significance of weather. And why am I opening old wounds ? Because innocent people are still dying today because of the same thing that happened 10 years ago. Nothing has changed. Pilots are brave people. But too often, they don't understand their limitations or capabilities. Something needs to change.
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