On Sunday, 19 smokejumpers were killed fighting a wild fire in Arizona. Smokejumpers parachute into fires in remote areas that are hard to get to. They have the already dangerous fire to battle and these folks jump out a plane to get there. I hate getting into a plane and can't imagine jumping out of one into a fire. My heartfelt thanks goes out to those who lost their lives and the rest of the smokejumpers still out there fighting. For the family and friends left behind, I'm tremendously sorry for your loss.
The fallen firefighters:
Andrew Ashcraft, 29, Robert Caldwell, 23, Travis Carter, 31, Dustin Deford, 24, Christopher MacKenzie, 30, Eric Marsh, 43, Grant McKee, 21, Sean Misner, 26, Scott Norris, 28, Wade Parker, 22, John Percin, 24, Anthony Rose, 23, Jesse Steed, 36, Joe Thurston, 32, Travis Turbyfill, 27, William Warneke, 25, Clayton Whitted, 28, Kevin Woyjeck, 21, Garret Zuppiger, 27
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but the mastery of it"
Victor Hugo