PARK CITY, Utah. — On Sept. 20, a firefighting helicopter pilot name Ryan Cutter died in a crash while he was helping fight the Dome Fire near Yosemite National Park in California.
His neighbors and community in Park City honored him with a celebration of his life.
"What Cutter was doing was dangerous and he was helping people and uh I know a lot of people have called him a hero. I think he would probably be uncomfortable with all the attention,” said Adam Schwall, Cutter’s friend.
Dozens attended the celebration of life to honor Cutter’s bravery and sacrifice after his helicopter crashed.
A recent preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board states Cutter and one other crew member were dropping water from a bucket connected to their helicopter when the bucket dropped and the helicopter crashed into a tree.
Cutter's wife recalled the moment she was told his helicopter crashed.
"After I hung up the phone, I vividly, vividly recall the feeling that I wasn't alone in my office. I said calmly out loud, don't you dare leave me, Ryan. We talked about this,” said Nina Pacchia, Cutter's Wife. “I collapsed on the floor, and I felt him crouch down next to me."
Now, a little over a month later, Pacchia and Cutter’s best friends told the audience, full of first responders, just exactly who he was.
"The quality that I'll remember the most about Cutter, not buying beer when we were 20 years old, but, one thing that sticks out and always will for the rest of my life is he was the most loyal person I've ever met in my life,” said Schwall.
The NTSB is still actively investigating the cause of the crash.