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Memorial service held for UK air crew LEXINGTON — 1,400 friends, family members, and colleagues of the University of Kentucky Air Medical Services crew members who died in a crash last Monday night gathered yesterday at Lexington's Immanuel Baptist Church for a memorial service. The memorial began with an opening prayer by Stewart Dawson, Chaplin for the Lexington Division of Fire and EMS. Frank Butler, the Vice Chancellor for Health Systems and Planning at UK Chandler Medical Center and the UK Hospital Director, welcomed those attending. Friends of the four victims then recalled the contributions and sacrifices of pilots Don Greene, 46 and Ernest L. Jones Jr., 48; flight nurse Sheila Zellers, 43; and paramedic Brian Harden, 31. Colleen Swartz made the closing remarks and presented special wings to the families of the victims. Following the closing remarks, a slide show -- prepared by Mike Poynter and accompanied by Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On -- shared photos of the four lost crew members at work and at play with their families. Charles Williams, the Assistant Director for Georgetown-Scott County EMS, gave the benediction. Under the direction of Lexington Fire and EMS and Jefferson County EMS' honor guards, uniformed attendees filed outside the church and formed a path leading to a parked UK helicopter and pair of ambulances. While Louisville Fire and Rescue Pipe and Drum Corps played, the family was ushed from the church -- past the uniformed attendees standing at attention -- to a table in front of the helicopter that held four flight helmets, four roses, and a silent radio. STATCARE dispatcher Dawn Wheatley then broadcast the symbolic "last call" for the lost crew. "This is the final call for UK-2, helicopter 43-Echo. Units 202; 203; 204; 205. God bless you, my friends. We will miss you." Then, in the mid-day sun, nine helicopter ambulances slowly flew overhead in pairs of two in an aerial salute. Eight of the helicopters represented air medical programs from Lexington, Louisville, Cincinnati, Chattanooga (Tenn.), Huntington (W. Va.) and Evansville (Ind.). The ninth helicopter, from St. Joseph Hospital's CareFlight program, peeled off from the others and flew into the distance alone, executing a helicopter version of the Air Force's "missing man" formation. For additional information, visit the following Internet links (these external links may only be available for a limited time):
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