In Memory of Mountain Lifeflight 3

This has not been an easy week. As you know from my “25 List” I have been an RN for 32 years. For 22 of those 32 I worked in Emergency Medicine. It is with pride I served those last 2 1/2 years (Of Emergency Services) as a Flight Nurse with Mountain Lifeflight of Susanville, Ca.

Mountain Life Flight was founded in the early 90’s as a fixed-wing air ambulance service. I joined them in 1995. I was honored to participate in placing their first EMS (Emergency Medical Services) helicopter into service in 1996. We were pioneers.There are not many rural based EMS Helicopters in the States. Due to increasing physical problems (your back starts to act up after years of pushing, pulling lifting and fighting with patients in the ER) I left MLF in 1997.

There’s a truth about those who serve in EMS. It never leaves. It’s a family you can’t get out of your blood. I also served as a Volunteer Firefighter. My heart broke when I saw the Towers collapse on 9/11 and heard the causalities of so many fellow firefighters. Your heart still races when you hear the sirens, or catch part of a emergency radio transmission. It’s been 12 years since I left MLF and I still find myself many times stepping outside to see them fly by whenever I hear the sound of a helicopter.

My heart broke again last Saturday. I had just arrived at work when one of the Correctional Officers told me, “Did you hear? Mountain Lifeflight crashed this morning.” I asked, “Fixed wing or helicopter?”

“Helicopter, Mountain Lifeflight 3.”

“How bad?” (hoping against hope)

“No survivors.”

To my sorrow, I later found out that a good friend of mine was the Flight Nurse and I knew the Flight Paramedic as well. My supervisor that day also knew them. We hugged, cried and had to get back to work. When I got home my wife, Vivian asked me, “How are you doing?” All I could say through my tears was, “It hurts, Viv, it just hurts.”

So this is to pay tribute to the Crew of Mountain Lifeflight 3:

Clint Reger, RN. Chief Flight Nurse, 39 years old. I have known Clint since he was an EMT with the ambulance in Susanville. He had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and in his relatively short career as an RN far surpassed anything I thought I knew about the subject. He was a consummate professional, and one of the most humble men I ever knew. He loved life and loved his family. Most of all he had a deep faith and love for his Savior, Jesus Christ. He leaves a wife and 2 young boys. He also leaves a loving family and countless friends.

Chris Ritz, Chief Flight Paramedic, 37 years old. I did not know Chris well, but he always treated me like he had known me for life. Chris had just started with the ambulance service when I left MLF. Chris was passionate about 1 person, his son. Chris taught CPR and was active as a Scout leader.

James Bradshaw, pilot, 37 years old. I did not know Jim, but from what was said at the memorial for the crew yesterday he was as much a man and professional as the rest of the crew.

These 3 men are true heroes. They lived their lives to the fullest and when called upon laid their lives down in the service of others. There can be no higher calling than that.But, there are other heroes: the families they leave behind. They are the ones who have to move on and try to put the pieces together.

So, what am I trying to say in these ramblings? Just this: God put us on this Earth for a purpose. We don’t know when our time will come. Seek Him for why you are here and pursue that with all you have. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes that whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. I think that’s what Clint, Chris, and Jim would tell us.