I knew three of the men who died in the helicopter collision in Phoenix last Friday: Rick Krolak, Jim Cox and Scott Bowerbank. I've listed them in the order I met them. In different ways, they were all bright, positive lights in my life. I learned from them. I laughed with them. I was in awe of their different talents. And even though they were three very different men, they had one thing in common: passion.
Rick, Jim and Scott were passionate about work while being equally passionate about play. They were passionate about their friends and families, but also passionate about their co-workers. I didn't know any of them to ever give less than 100% at anything they did. And they were so giving of their talents, so generous of their time.
For the record, I don't want to give the incorrect impression that I was best friends with these fine men. I think the best way to describe our relationship would be "good, work friends." Rick, Jim and Scott have many, many close friends. And, along with their loving families, the pain of their loss must be incredible because the emptiness I feel seems bottomless.
The Haffner family is devastated. I had an opportunity to visit Bruce and Lisa Saturday morning. They have lost best friends. Rick mentored Bruce in the 1980s when Bruce was a photographer. Scott mentored Bruce. We all know Scott is the man who trained Bruce to fly helicopters. Bruce was mentoring Jim. Jim had the dream of flying like Scott and Bruce.
For these three, bright lights to be snuffed out in an instant seems cruel and unimaginable. Then I close my eyes, pause and realize that their light is burning brighter today than it ever had. It is a beacon; a beacon which summons us to be greater than we are. It is a beam of hope which illuminates the way, shunning the mediocrity of apathy and indifference. It is the way they lived their lives. It is the way I can live mine.
With passion.
That was beautiful Royal. I have watched CH 3 news for over 30 years. You are family and my tears are for family. I know God is holding Scott and Jim close and know He will be there for all who loved and cared for them. The whole CH 3 family has shown incredible integrity and grit during this awful tragedy. We love you Scott and Jim! We love all the CH 3 family.
Holding you all close, Cathy
Dear Channel 3 news,
I just want to say I feel your pain. To Bruce remember the good and remember to pick yourself back up again. And go on that is what they would've wanted
I love channel 3 news since I been here for 9 year
THank's
Sara
July 29, 2007
TO THE FAMILIES AND CO - WORKERS OF SCOTT BOWERBANK AND JIM COX;
THERE ARE NO WORDS TO EXPRESS THE LOSS OF A DEAR ONE CLOSE TO YOUR HEART.
YOU ARE ALL IN OUR HEARTS AND PRAYERS AS WELL AS SCOTT AND JIM.
From: Helen Cantelme and Family
Dear News Channel 3 Family, It is with great sadness when we learned about the helicopter crash Saturday. We are on vacation in Missouri and our son called us. Our prayers are with you,and may God wrap his arms around you!!
Love The Wheelers
Orvil, Vickie, & Mikayla Wheeler
What a sad day. You all will take awhile to grieve and I am so proud of how professional you have all been while grieving the loss of two of your family members. It will take a long time for this to heal, and we are there for you and understand. Also, my condolances to Frank Comacho on the loss of his father.
Karen
To everyone @ channel 3,
We love you all. We wrap our arms around you at this difficult time in your lives. It truly feels that we have lost part of our own family. Keep stong!
I have to say with tears in my eyes, and lumps in my heart. I'm so sorry to hear,and see your loss. Your family has never been as strong as it has been lately. I've watched channel 3 since 1992. In the past few weeks with the chopper being upgraded, and the pilots in the bunkers. Showing you step by step, of making that chopper #1, and how proud everyone was, and the hopes everybody had. You saw their personal lives, and personalities as they waited in anticipation. I grew warm seeing your strong bond. I tell you. It kills me inside to hear of your loss. May God bless them, and all of you at this time.
Sincerely, JILL M. SHARLOW
Absolutely what Scott and Jim want us to do Royal. Live our lives to the fullest. Then later on when we are together again we all can be as content and fulfilled . Dave. [former eyewitness news watcher- pre 95]
Having watched 3 tv for many years, everyone has become like family and I cant begin to express the deep feelings of sympathy that I have for the family's of Scott Bowerbank and Jim Cox, and for their 3tv family. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you in this most difficult time. May God be with you all, comfort you and bring you peace, even though this is tremidiously dificult, this to will pass and your hearts will be lightened by the memories of Scott and Jim...
We are all touched by the tragic losses Friday of Scott and Jim, and the 15 crew. This is so horrific it makes you question your sanity. We grieve with the families, the 3TV Family, which is so warm and loving. I know your hearts are broken.
WORDS CAN NOT EXPLAIN THE LOSS WE ARE ALL FEELING, I HAVE LIVED IN THE VALLEY AND HAVE WATCHED THE CHANNEL 3 NEWS AND FEEL THAT I KNOW EVERYONE WHO IS THERE, I HAVE CRYED ALONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE, I AM SO SORRY FOR THE LOSS. JUST REMEMBER WE LOST 4 BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE AND HEAVEN GAINED 4 BEAUTIFUL ANGELS, NOW THEY ALL WILL FLY WITH THE ANGELS..
:
(speechless)
We shall never know why the good people get taken away from us too soon. Words cannot explain how we are feeling in this tragic time. I commend all of you at Arizona Family for all your integrety through this saddness and the loss of your friends. Our hearts go out to all of you at 3TV and all the families of Scott and Jim. I to lost a brother , flying his own helicopter. We will miss seeing the helicopters in the sky's, for a while. Dear Bruce and Lisa, be brave and strong and you will soon heal and go on. We love you all at Channel 3TV. With all our loving thoughts and prayers. We shall never forget.
My heart goes out to all of you at channel 3 you are our family we mourn with you during this difficult time.May god keep you in his heart for strenth. love the Padilla FAMILY,Greg,Abbe,Arianna,Audrina
i was watching tv when the crash happened. i feel so bad for all you guys
at channel 3 and 15 and this horrible thing that happened. my daughter linda who was at work called me to find out if the facts were true because somone at work had heard some gossipy talk about what had happened so i confirmed the facts for her. i am truly sorry for
what has happened to your family and i will keep all of you in my in my toughts
and prayers.
joan dart
I was just wanted to say that I am sorry for your (our) loss. I am a native to the valley and have watched 3 TV since I was little. I watch the the morning show everyday. You are all a part of my family. Just know that GOD has a plan for these fine men and they are on their way to doing it. I have been crying right along with you and they will be missed. God Bless you all and be strong.
I just want to take a minute to say Thank You to the the Bowerbank and Cox families for allowing us to share in the memorial service for their lost loved ones. They didn't have to do this but I am happy they did. Other than having you all on my TV everyday I don't know any of you on a personal level but feel I do. I was on vacation when the accident happened and first learned of it on CNN or MSNBC(whichever my husband was watching). He called me into the room to tell me and I felt as if my heart fell to my stomach. I watched the coverage all weekend and am very impressed with the wonderful staff you all have. How they kept it together long enough to do their reports is beyond me. Please pass along the publics Thanks to the families of these wonderful men. I will be watching Tuesday remembering and saying goodbye to 2 fallen heros.
I live on the Navajo Reservation and watch TV 3 every morning and the staff became family. It was sad to hear of your loss and Channel 15. I am sending my condolences to the staff of Channel 15 and 3 and to the families.
I switched over to Channel 3 right along with Patty Kirkpatrick years ago. I've since watched you all every morning and every evening when I come home from work. I've gotten to know all of you in that way. You are family to me and I too have cried and very much feel our loss. My condolences and a huge hug to the families of Scott, Jim and the channel 15 news crew. I will remember Scott Bowerbank by his smile always, Never did I see him not smile.
To Bruce...........I was so happy I saw you on TV this morning. God be with you and your family. I grieve with you.
Your friend Alta.
To the entire Channel 3 family, and I do mean family, I want to send my condolences to you all, especially Bruce and Lisa. I have been in Arizona now for just about 26 years and I have come to accept Channel 3 as my family. I too work in broadcast news at radio station KAWC (broadcast training home for Velka Atherton)as News Director. I have seen a lot of news coverage, but what Scott and Jim did was incredible. Channel 3's work ethic is only surpassed by your closeness as a family, a family I often wished to be a part of. May God bless you all and may He continued to hold each of you in His loving hands. Take comfort in knowing your family members, brothers if you will, are in a much better place and Bruce, always remember, and I borrow from the poem by Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee "HIGH FLIGHT" Scott and Jim have slipped the surly bounds of earth and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings (rotor blades): Sunward they have climbed and joined the tumbling mirth--Of sun-split clouds and yes, they have done a hundred things that most of us have not dreamed of...And, while with silent lifting mind they have trod the high untresspassed sanctity of space, yes take comfort Bruce in knowing, that Scott and Jim have reached out and they have indeed, touched the face of God...
Greg Gardner
News Director
KAWC
Yuma, AZ 85365
(928) 210-4679
I just wanted to say how very sorry I am about the loss of the 4 wonderful men on Friday. They were amazing men and God is blessed to have them home with him. Channel 3 has been so amazing through this all, trying to stay so strong while in so much pain. My heart and prayers are with you all. I love you all as you are"Family". God bless you all, Judy Rizzo
I am hoping that Bruce Haffner will read this also: When I first heard about the crash I thought I wasn't possible - it couldn't be true! When I discovered that it was true, my first thought was "I hope it wasn't Bruce Haffner!" Bruce is the most recognized face of Newschopper3, and I am one of those people who, when I see Newschopper3, say "Is it Bruce Haffner?" I did see Scott on the news as well, and was very saddened that he had gone the way he did. I had also heard Jim Cox's name mentioned many times. Even though I have never personally met any of the members of the Channel 3 news team, I religiously watch Channel 3 every evening when I get home from work. When you watch certain people every day for 1-2 hours, you feel like you know them in some way. When I turned on the TV Friday and heard the emotion in Patti Kirkpatrick's voice, that was when I cried. I will be keeping all the member's of "Arizona's Family" in my prayers. Thanks guys, for being a part of my life!
All I can say to all of you at Channel 3 is, I am so very sorry for what has happened to members of my Arizona's Family. When I heard on Friday, it was by a telephone call from my mother who cried into the telephone, "tell me it's not Bruce in the crash?". I did not know at that moment what she was speaking of but soon found out. Our thoughts go out to all of you. This morning watching Bruce and Lisa made me cry all over again. Please take care and know that we wouldn't know what to do each morning without all of you in our homes.
My Friend, You had awesome friends! You're in good hands next time you go flying; Rick, Scott and Jim will be right next to you supporting your wings.
Mari (the other Yazzie sister). God Bless~
I haved lived here in Phx 47 years ,I will deeply miss all the men but I do know they are in a much better place right now.I give you all at Ch3 all my sympathy but God is holding them all in his arms and saying well done my sons.
God Bless you all and you will be in our prayers.
I want to express my deepest sympathy to the family, friends and co-workers of Scott and Jim. I live in Winslow, even being so far away from Phoenix, we feel like those at channel 3 are a part of our family. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. May God bless you.
Royal,
My Name is Nancy Timothy and I am an Arizona native but I currently reside in Las Vegas, NV with my fiance and I have been following this story and they aired it on the news channel here and I sat wached this tragic story unfold with tears in my eyes thinking that this was a movie because it did not seem real that something so tragic could take place. I can't imagine what you and the rest of your co-workers feel but I am reading some of your blogs and I am touched by them.I have always watched News on Channel 3 morning noon and night and I just want to say how devastated I am about your lost. You have become a part of my family too. Even though I no longer live in Arizona my heart is still in Arizona and my heart is with all of you at this time of loss. My prayer is for God to protect and watch over all of you and be with you!!
I want to express my deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Scott, Jim, Rick and Craig. I lived in AZ for almost 17 years and Channel 3 was what we watched all the time. They became part of our family. My 3 children grew up watching Ch3. We are now in CO but our oldest son is still in Phx. He sent me a text with the news. I was devastated! My family and I have met many of Ch 3's family over the years. My heart goes out to Bruce and Lisa. My brother had the privilege of flying with Bruce a few times. God be with you in this time of grief.
Royal, well spoken -- "...It is a beacon; a beacon which summons us to be greater than we are..."
Listening to the memorial service, I was inspired by the passion for life that family and friends described Scott and Jim as having -- something we all need to incorporate into our lives as much as possible.
We know it's hard for all of you to keep doing your job while experiencing such loss and pain -- we love you and admire your professionalism.
I am an Arizona native who has watched 3 tv...forever. I felt compelled to sit down and write a few words to tell All of you at 3 tv how very special you All are. This has been a very difficult time for you and we wanted to let you know how much we love, admire and appreciate you very much! I have suffered a great amount of loss in my family in a very short time and know how painful this must be for you. Thank you families of Jim Cox and Scott Bowerbank for sharing this beautiful service with all of Arizona's family. God Bless
Very well written article about the loss of your dear friends. It is my hope that your pain will lessen day by day and that it will be replaced with only loving memories of times spent with those who were lost. Please give a special hug to Bruce Haffner for me. I look forward to hearing that he has returned to the sky once again -- when he is safely able to do so.
scott was my bud he was a inspration to me. when i met scott ,i knew i wanted to fly .im only 11 but now im in training to be a helicopter piolt just like scott ,i miss him but he died doing what he loved best .i will allways remember 7/27/07. i will miss you scottyb. rest in pease buddy,
your friend,
chandler eaton