In loving memory of a hero

Every now and then, something happens that makes you stop for a minute and realize the fragility of life. With all the negative stories broadcasted day in and out, I sometimes feel as though I’ve become desensitized. After all, the tragic stories never directly affect me… at least not until today.

I got a phone call from my dad this afternoon. My dad rarely calls me just to say hi, so in the back of my mind I instantly thought, “oh no”. Right away Dad said, “Kris, have you been watching the news lately?” My mind quickly raced through the headlines I’d glossed over in the past few days as Dad continued to talk, “did you hear about the medic helicopters crashing in Arizona?” It turns out one of the pilots in that helicopter crash was his stepbrother, Pat. I didn’t know Pat that well, as he lived on the west coast and we live on the east, but I do know that Pat was my grandfather’s only birth son. He was a seasoned pilot who has since devoted his time to piloting medical emergency helicopters. And now, he’s gone.

I called my grandpa right away. He sounded so sad. All he could say was, “I can’t believe he’s gone”. I fought to hold back tears as I thought of the helplessness my grandfather must feel. I couldn’t help but feel the pain of being so far from my own family, who lives in New York while I live in Georgia. And I also couldn’t fight the sense of guilt for stressing over what I was again reminded are frivolous decisions and worries in the grand scheme of things.

I am blessed with a wonderful life. A wonderful family, a devoted husband, my health, my faith, and good friends. Yet I spend so much of my energy stressing over career-related decisions. I put so much emphasis on being “successful”, that when I stepped back today and thought about it, I realize maybe I need to adjust my definition of success. Pat left this world doing something he loved, flying, and doing something heroic, helping others. Going forward, I hope I can stay focused on pursuing what makes me happy and what makes a positive impact on the world around me. Life is just too short…