GRG55 : Gone West

Very sorry to hear about this untimely loss.
 
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
of sun-split clouds,-and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of-wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air....
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark nor ever eagle flew-
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God

God Speed GRG55
 
My heartfelt condolences, sympathy, and empathy to Jennifer and his family. My father died in the exact same manner. In a matter of hours from healthy and vibrant to gone. It's devastating. I understand the shock and grief well. Remember the good times, and know he's flying free now.
 
I always enjoyed @GRG55 posts, a very knowable fellow aviator in all aspects of flight and ownership. My condolences to family and friends.
 
I did not have the pleasure if knowing this gentleman, but as a doctor who has seen many injuries like this one, just wanted to ask everyone to please RESPECT LADDERS. So many bad head injuries in otherwise functional people Just so many. Think twice about going up there. Something about craning your neck seems to upset the vestibular system and down you go. My condolences to this family.
 
eman1200 said:
I'm just kinda blown away. he was so friendly. ever since I expressed interest in twins he always offered to take me up in his aztec. I actually thought he might have made rough river and was hoping he did and was looking forward to it. I can't believe it, honestly.
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He and I had been backchannel talking for two years about an epic PNW to Rough River trip in the Aztec. I never got to meet him (we came close a couple of times, as he occasionally came to Seattle for business.)

He was golden. When I told him that my family was planning to fly to Banff, he volunteered to have his staff pick us up from GA and get us to the rental car. He was that kind of guy.

Definitely a loss to the world.
 
Condolences. Very tragic. May God grant his greatest gift, that of peace to Jennifer and the family.
 
kath said:
I don't get to meet PoA'ers in person very often, but @GRG55 was one of the few for whom I have had that honor.
By some lucky coincidence, we were both passing through Dallas at the same time, and got to hang out for an awesome meal...
He struck me as a kind and thoughtful man, with a great sense of humor. This is heartbreaking.
Stay safe out there, everyone.

Left to right, @Salty, GRG55, Kath, and @AggieMike88:
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I am too new here to know him. I want to give condolences to his wife and family. As well as to those here who knew him personally.
 
Oh man! I'm so sorry to hear this. Never had the opportunity to meet him in person, but every exchange we had was a pleasant one here on PoA, and I'm glad I was able to know him at least in that capacity. We are not promised tomorrow, folks. :(
 
Hopefully his wife will find some comfort in seeing how much he was appreciated by everyone here. We can only hope to be referenced so fondly when it's our time. There is no "good" way to go, but this seems particularly surprising and unwelcome.

Small wonder I'm a total baby when it comes to ladders. I avoided them for the first 35 years of my life and have only started getting more comfortable as a simple necessity as a home owner. Much beyond the third rung and I'm a sweaty mess.

Blue skies.
 
To reiterate the ladder safety but climbing anything with steps. At work yesterday a coworker fell off the aircraft when he missed a step. Whacked his head on the pad and sprained his ankle but nothing major. Very lucky. We fly so many “low falls” you wouldn’t believe it. You all be careful out there.
 
His story is very similar to what happened to a friend of mine: He was using a stepladder in the garage, fell and hit his head, and his wife found him sometime later. This happened about 2 days after he met his first grandchild. The part that really got to me, though, was how many people were able to benefit from his organ donations, so consider how you can help when you aren't using them any more.
 
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Velocity173 said:
To reiterate the ladder safety but climbing anything with steps. At work yesterday a coworker fell off the aircraft when he missed a step. Whacked his head on the pad and sprained his ankle but nothing major. Very lucky. We fly so many “low falls” you wouldn’t believe it. You all be careful out there.
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One of my CFIs warned about that also. Guy missed the step coming off a piper twin that he knew and shattered a hip. Never walked the same.

Just adding to the be careful comment on stepping off of aircraft wings. They're higher up than you think.
 
Tremendously sad to hear this. My prayers go out to his loved ones.
 
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