Thanks to a FaceBook post on April 6, 2015, a fellow Hanford High School Alumni Jayne Verhoeven McClurg made contact with me and said she knew one of the crew members who flew out from Vandenberg AFB. I have always wanted to look those men in the eyes, shake their hands, and say, “Thank you.” Well, after 13 years that occurred on Saturday May 30, 2015 in Paso Robles. Fire Fighter John Markley, Fire Fighter John Crotty, Fire Fighter Tom Gooch, CHP Medic Scott Rodda and their wives were all able to... attend. We were also blessed to have some of our family and close friends attend as well. Fire Fighter Sean Glaser was not able to attend as well as CHP pilot Matt Daglish but plans are forming to catch up with them as well.

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Below is what I shared with those men and wives that night.

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First off.....I like to thank our Event Coordinator, Jamie Heinbach, Jamie is the owner of Happily Ever After Wedding & Event Flowers.  We would also like to thank both EOS Wineries and Steins Catering as well.

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I feel like I am standing next to the dugout waiting for my favorite players to come out in hopes of receiving an autograph!  My family loves the game of baseball.  Our son had a great passion for the game and its history.  Even today we are very involved with the College of Sequoias baseball program and consider the ballpark “our happy place.”  We are a divided home in regards to Major League Baseball.  My wife Jeannie and daughter Danielle are Giants fans and I a loyal Dodger fan.  Anyway, this day is a dream come true for me.  Tonight I get to meet and thank a group of “All Stars.”

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Let me introduce some of the key players here tonight and highlight just some of their rolls in our story.

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On the night of April 6, after leaving the Visalia airport, we placed calls to family and friends to let them know that the plane did not return and a search would begin early Sunday morning.  Minutes after placing those calls.....two dear friends and members of my accountability group, Scott Bosler and Jody Allen,  showed up at my door.  We laid face down on the floor and prayed.  We prayed that God would bring them home, we prayed for the search teams, and we prayed for comfort for all the families involved.  For the next week, Scott and Jody stayed  on our couches every night to be at our side.

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Since I didn’t sleep, I had lots of time to think.  Concerned about a possible media mess, I felt I needed someone to run point over all incoming calls to our home phone.  The first person I thought of for such a task was retired Cal Fire Battalion Chief Chuck Heinbach.  I called him early Sunday morning at his residence in Oakhurst and 2 hours later, Chuck was taking calls in my home and would continue to for the next 10 days.  Before Chuck arrived, my brother in law, Bob Williams, filled in on the phones while Jeannie and I met with the Civil Air Patrol.  Now Bob is not one to sit still much, so he found a bucket and washed all of our outside windows that day and on Monday we learned that he had worked his way onto the sheriff’s fixed wing aircraft as a spotter.

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Early Monday morning Steve Ford stopped by on his way to work to check on us.  He learned that we wanted to go to the airport.  Steve dropped everything on his work schedule to become our chauffeur for the day.  Upon arriving at the airport, I saw a couple of guys getting out of a private plane.....and to my surprise I knew one of them.  My cousin Dan Lombardi was preparing to be a spotter with his brother-in-law after checking in.

This year on April 10th, 2015, I posted a Thank you on my Facebook page.  It’s printed on the display table.  Over the years I have never forgotten all those agencies that were involved in the search and recovery.  You see, on April 10, 2002, shortly after receiving the news that “there were no survivors,” someone drove us home from the hanger.  I remember being amazed at all of the students lined up along the airport fence.  I remember getting on Hwy 198 and realizing that I didn’t get to thank the Vandenberg crew who I was told spotted the plane.  It was at that moment that I knew I wanted to look each of those team members in the eye, shake their hands, and say thank you!

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Well, we are here today thanks to Jayne McClurg who responded to my Facebook post by saying that she and her husband knew one of those crew members!  She asked if I would like her to make contact and my answer was, “Yes!  I would love to make contact.”  Jayne got permission to send me the number of firefighter John Markley.  In my recent phone conversation with John, I learned that he and John Cotty where hoisted in and joined up with a CHP fellow on the mountain whose first name was Scott.  I only remembered hearing about two being hoisted in and didn’t realize there was 3rd.  Before Scott’s name ever came up, I knew a CHP officer who was involved, but his name was Matt Daglish.  Matt was a personal friend of our pilot, Pat Carey.  He was the first person Pat’s wife, Joy, contacted.  Matt placed the calls to get the search underway on our behalf.  Due to his friendship with Pat and Joy, Matt was a spotter on the CHP fixed wing aircraft during the search.  He provided great insight to us on what was going on behind the scenes with phone calls each night and is probably the reason that the CHP was so involved. Matt couldn't make it tonight, but we hope to meet with him and his bride soon.

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We were still puzzled about who the Scott was that John spoke about until we remembered that there was an article in the Fresno Bee that interviewed a CHP Officer.  We opened our scrapbook and there was his name: Scott Rodda.  And then to our surprise there were also John Markley’s and John Cotty’s names as well.  We had them all along and just didn’t realize it.

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John Markley also let me know that he continues to work with two other team members that took part in the efforts, firefighters Tom Gooch and Sean Glaser.  Tom and Sean flew the day before and were providing ground support on the final day. 

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All of you here played vital rolls in this process.  Sure, it’s not the outcome any of us hoped for, but your efforts allowed us to move forward and open new chapters on our life journey.

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On that Wednesday night on April 10, 2002, while some of you were setting up a temporary shelter and building a fire to stay warm on that cold mountain top, we were home deciding what to do next.  We decided to go to church that night since we had heard they planned a time of prayer for the search teams.  We didn’t know that they changed it to a time of prayer for the families.  Well, we showed up unannounced.....The first pastor to greet me asked, “What are you doing here?”  I replied, “Where else should we be on a Wednesday night?”  Speechless, Pastor LeRoy led us in.  Every seat was filled, floors packed full, people standing along the walls and my favorite....the media was everywhere.  The Dirker family gave up their seats for Jeannie and me.  After a few worship songs one of the other fathers, Steve McLain, walked forward and asked to make some comments.  During the next song Pastor Tim approached me and asked if I would like to address everyone.  I stood in front of everyone, looked around the room into the tearful eyes of many, took a deep breath and shared these words that hold true even tonight.  “I want you to know that your prayers were answered.  They did come home.  It just wasn’t our home.  It was HIS home.”  God continues to comfort us and we give Him all the credit.

 

Let me address the spouses.....  Ladies, your men are amazing!  You and I both know that.  We know that they will say that “they were just doing their job.”  We know it’s not an easy job and there are times when it’s very difficult.  We know that they place their emotions in check to get the job done.  I want you to know how very proud and thankful I am for each of them.  I also want you to know that my family and friends greatly appreciated their efforts.  This includes the Tilley Family, the McClain Family, and the Carey family.

 

To my friends and family, thank you for all you did and continue to do to honor our son, Bobby, along with his friends Justin McClain, Jason Tilley, and Pat Carey. 

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As I stated in the beginning, we are fans of the game of baseball.  A huge honor in baseball is to receive autographs from your favorite players.  Well, since you each hit it out of the park for us, I would like to have your autographs.  I never want to forget your names.  On the barrel are the words, Heroes of the Journey, May 30, 2015.  You truly are heroes...every one of you!

 

I look forward to shaking your hands tonight and looking you in the eyes and telling you, “Thank you!”

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I am working on meeting with the following:

Vandenberg’s 76th Helicopter Flight Teams that searched.

1st crew Lt. Zach Guza, Capt. Ryan Campbell and Staff Sgt. Mario Kuhn

2nd crew Capt. Carl Mullen, Lt. Cliff Graham and Staff Sgt. Jim Beeman

3rd crew Lt. James Blanchard, aircraft commander; Lt. Joe Augustine, co-pilot; Staff Sgt. Steve Perez, flight engineer

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Very blessed to have had a conversation with Steve Perez who was credited with spotting the aircraft.   Will post a update after I meet with him!!!  Happy to report that on April 4, 2019, we got to meet face to face with Steven Perez and his bride Carol as well as with Ken and Marlene Dodson in Albuquerque NM at the Antiquity Restaurant.  Both Steve and Ken searched the area for the boys.  Steve from the door of a helicopter as part of the flight crew piloted by Lt. James Blanchard.  Jeannie's cousin Ken searched with his brother on the ground.  Steven had talked with both Pilot Blanchard and Co-Pilot Augustine to let them know of my desire to meet them but both have declined.  My desire to meet everyone face to face that was  part of those flight crews seems to have come to a end, but I will never get tired of THANKING them for all there efforts.

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