| Year Honored | |
|---|---|
| 2013 | |
| Honoree | |
| Andrew H. 'Andy' Olesen | |
| Title | |
| Pilot | |
| Agency | |
| REACT | |
| Agency City | |
| Rockford | |
| Agency State | |
| IL | |
| Last Call | |
| 12/10/12 | |
| Cause of Death | |
| Medical Aviation Accident | |
| Biography | |
| Andrew H. "Andy" Olesen, 65, was an amazing pilot, and a genuine great man. He always had a smile on his face and a great outlook in any situation. A true American hero, Andy served in the United States Army as a combat helicopter pilot in Vietnam and spent a total of 23 years serving our country before retiring in 1993. He began flying medical helicopters for Saint Anthony Medical Center's Lifeline program in Rockford in 1993, where he stayed for six or seven years before transferring to the Rockford Memorial Hospital REACT program in the early 2000s.<br /> <br /> His friends remember him for his servant's heart, his love for his family, and the gifts of his smile and laughter. He was a long-time member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Andy married Patricia Beck in Pierre, South Dakota, September 12, 1970. He enjoyed playing golf, racquetball, and was an avid Green Bay Packer fan. He and his wife had been discussing moving to the Fort Hood area of Texas to be closer to their children and grandchildren but Andrew would continually put it off because he loved his job. He'd say, "I love my job, I love what I'm doing."<br /> <br /> On Monday, December 10 at about 8:30pm, Andy, along with two crewmembers, was heading for Mendota Community Hospital to pick up a critically injured patient. During the outbound flight, Olesen radioed that the helicopter had "encountered weather" and was turning around. About 10 minutes later, the ground dispatcher tried to contact the helicopter but received no answer. A short time later, the hospital received reports that the helicopter had crashed near Rochelle. There were no survivors.<br /> <br /> He had four more shifts to go before he retired. His niece was going to throw a party for him in Chicago then travel with his wife to Denmark, his father's birthplace.<br /> <br /> Honored 2013 |
The United States Official National EMS Memorial Service
