'Someone you could count on.' Family, friends remember medical crew killed in helicopter crash
The stories of three people who died in an Air Evac helicopter crash Saturday night show dedication to country, community and the well-being of those who need help in an emergency.
Russell Haslam was a former U.S. Army special operations pilot who continued his flying career with Air Evac since 2019.
Steven Fitzgerald was a paramedic serving on the Air Evac Lifeteam and had graduated from the in-house paramedic training program at EMSA, Oklahoma's largest emergency pre-hospital medical services provider. He later served as a flight paramedic in the Army.
Adam Tebben was the crew's flight nurse. He previously served in leadership positions as a nurse in his home state of Kansas before coming to Oklahoma.
Oklahoma medical helicopter crash remains under investigation
Aviation safety officials are investigating the crash, which occurred before midnight in rural western Oklahoma. The crew had just dropped off a patient at Mercy Hospital in Oklahoma City before heading back to their home base in Weatherford.
At 11:23 p.m., the Air Evac operations control center lost contact with the helicopter, a Bell 206L-3, according to a social media post by Air Evac Lifeteam.
The cause of the incident remains unknown at this time.
More: Oklahoma helicopter crash leaves 3 dead, medical crew members identified: Everything we know
Who were the medical crew aboard the helicopter?
Those posting in memory of pilot Russell Haslam said he previously flew with the Night Stalkers, a highly trained and talented helicopter unit that provides support and transportation for special operations teams around the world.
Friends, family and coworkers described him as a safe aviator and dedicated mentor. Joseph Pierce, a flight nurse who spent countless hours with Haslam in the air said he was the most skilled pilot he's ever flown with.
"You served your country first in the military and you came back to serve your community, and most importantly you were a family man who loved his family and daughters," Pierce posted on Facebook. "I could go on and on for hours about the man you were, but simply put, you lived a life of service to others and that to me is a life worth living."
Fitzgerald started working for EMSA as an EMT and later graduated from its in-house paramedic program. According to EMSA, Fitzgerald served his country during tours in Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine and Syria as a U.S. Army flight paramedic. Following his most recent deployment, he came back to EMSA.
"Steven Fitzgerald was a valued, hard-working team member during his time as an EMSA Paramedic. EMS is a tight knit industry, and we mourn the tragic loss of Steven, Adam, and Russell with our colleagues at Air Evac Lifeteam," EMSA said in a statement.
Fitzgerald joined Air Evac late last year.
Tebben joined Air Evac less than a year ago, proudly posting about his new "office" in the sky on social media. From messages about him shared online, Tebben left an indelible mark on those who worked with him and relied on his care. Serving as a flight nurse was his dream job, one former colleague said. He joined Air Evac last year.
Before coming to Oklahoma, Tebben was a nurse in Kansas during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He graduated from Emporia State University, where he was president of the National Student Nurses' Association and later became president of the Kansas State Nurses' Association.
Former KSNA President Jan Kemmerer knew Tebben from his time with the association. She described him as someone who wanted to help and do the right things for patients. That included leading educational seminars for other nurses.
"He was all about patient care," said Kemmerer, who is director of nursing at Mitchell County (Kansas) Hospital Health Systems. "He was a helper, and he really liked leadership."
While a clinical nurse coordinator at Wichita's Wesley Medical Center in 2021, Tebben spoke with a newspaper reporter and described the frustration, pain and exhaustion felt in the medical community as a result of the pandemic. Medical providers faced long hours and incredible stress during the pandemic, which led to bonuses and better pay for those willing to be a traveling nurse.
Despite that, Tebben told the Topeka Capital-Journal that "money isn't everything."
Corrie Stumpf worked with Tebben at the Wesley Medical Center and said he was an excellent nurse, leader and all-around special guy.
"I usually had to look for (him) when I went down to the emergency department because he was never just sitting at the (nurses') desk; no, he was out helping his team," Stumpf said. "He was someone you could count on."
To share memories about Russell, Steven or Adam for this story, or to correct any inaccuracies, please email reporter Dale Denwalt at ddenwalt@oklahoman.com
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Air Evac Lifeteam crew killed in crash worked COVID, military
