Honorees

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Year Honored
2005
Honoree
Joseph Schaefer
Agency
LifeEvac of Virginia
Agency City
Richmond
Agency State
VA
Last Call
1/10/05
Cause of Death
Medical Aviation Accident
Biography
The asphalt landing pad of the Stafford Regional Airport was empty with the exception of the lone beautiful flowery wreath. It was placed there to symbolize that something was missing. Its only company was a solitary vehicle belonging to a pilot, who would no longer drive it back and forth to a job he loved. It beacons to the pilot's EMS family, the loss of one of their own, and of a great friend.<br /> <br /> Joseph Schaefer, 56, perished on January 10, 2005 when the helicopter he was flying plummeted into the Potomac River located in Northern Virginia. The team had transported a patient to the Washington Hospital Center. They were en route to LifeEvac II, their home base at Stafford Regional Airport, when the crash occurred. The flight crew included two flight nurses; one's life was taken, the other survived the plunge into the icy cold waters. Pilot Schaefer was flying a new Euro Copter EC-135. The Life Evac II base is part of Life Net Division of Air Methods Corporation.<br /> <br /> Mr. Schaefer was a long-time member of the Sterling Rescue Squad, in Sterling, Virginia, in addition to his aviation service. He was a Vietnam veteran and had served two tours as a pilot of a UH-1 Huey along with the duties of serving as Medevac, a highly respected duty by their comrades. Joe had over 4000 hours of flying time.<br /> <br /> Friends remember Joe as always talking about his three boys. "They were a professional and kind group of people," Jack Selby, airport customer service manager stated. "We all lost; they were awesome people," stated Selby.<br /> <br /> Honored 2005