| Year Honored | |
|---|---|
| 1996 | |
| Honoree | |
| Craig C. Budden | |
| Agency | |
| Air Care Helicopter/Good Samaritan Hospital | |
| Agency City | |
| Kearney | |
| Agency State | |
| Nebraska | |
| Last Call | |
| 12/20/1985 | |
| Cause of Death | |
| Medical Aviation Accident | |
| Biography | |
| Air Care provides emergency medical transportation for a large part of Nebraska, northern Kansas and southern North Dakota.On Friday, December 20, 1985 Craig Budden was piloting the helicopter en route to Ainsworth to transfer an eight-year-old child injured in a sledding accident to an Omaha hospital.The helicopter never arrived in Ainsworth, but went down approximately 15 minutes before its estimated time of arrival. No distress signal was issued, and the local sheriff's department began trying to contact the helicopter after it was 15 minutes overdue.A search by local authorities and volunteers was immediately started. Unfortunately, the wreckage of the helicopter was reported shortly before midnight, but could not be confirmed until the next morning.At the time of the accident a freezing rain was reported and several inches of snow covered the ground. Craig, 32 years old, was a dedicated professional pilot and vital member of the Air Care and Good Samaritan team. He had over 3,000 hours of helicopter flight experience in the military and with the United States Forest Service.Craig and his wife, Wilma, were the parents of four children: Tammy, Craig, Josh, and Kerri. JoAnn Budden also survived her son. Air Care resumed emergency medical transport service on January 25, 1986."The work goes on; the cause endures; the hope lives on; and the dream shall never die."Honored 1996 |
The United States Official National EMS Memorial Service
