Regents honor Survival Flight crash victims

Updated 2:20 PM July 5, 2007

Regents honor Survival Flight crash victims

By Laurel Thomas Gnagey

The Board of Regents June 21 honored the six men who lost their lives earlier this month in the Survival Flight plane crash.

Regent Chair Olivia Maynard read a statement of condolence that was followed by a moment of silence for the victims: Dr. David Ashburn, a resident in thoracic surgery; Richard Chenault II, a transplant donation specialist with the U-M Transplant Program; Dennis Hoyes, a Marlin Air pilot; Rick Lapensee, a transplant donation specialist; Bill Serra, a Marlin Air pilot; and Dr. Martinus (Martin) Spoor, cardiac surgeon on the U-M faculty.

"The regents of the University of Michigan express their profound sadness at the death of the six men who perished on June 4, 2007 while on a Survival Flight organ procurement mission for the University of Michigan Transplant Center," Maynard read.

"With condolences coming in from across the United States and around the world—from Sri Lanka, Sicily, Germany, Africa, India, Australia, and Canada—this tragedy shed light on the profound impact these selfless professionals have made by devoting their careers to serving their fellow human beings.

"As the regents mourn the loss of these members of our University family, we take comfort in the knowledge that their legacy will be carried forward through the efforts of their colleagues in the Cardiovascular Center, the Transplant Center, Survival Flight, and the entire Health System. These fallen heroes were leaders. And they were the best."

The U-M transplant team's plane crashed shortly after takeoff June 4 from Milwaukee, on its way back to Michigan with organs for donation. The intended recipient has since received two lungs from another donor.

President Mary Sue Coleman also remembered the crew in her remarks preceding the board's business agenda.

"Prior to the June 4 tragedy, I suspect many of us had become complacent about organ transplants, because for all their complication and intricacy, these operations have become part of everyday life," Coleman said.

"The Survival Flight loss reminds us of the many, high-risk steps that are taken, by many individuals, to extend life to another human being.

"It also reminds us of the vital importance of organ donation."

The U-M Health System has continued to update a Web site with memorial information and other news. Go to www.med.umich.edu/survival_flight/update/index.html.

Regents honor Survival Flight crash victims

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