This has been a full week. A major terror plot interrupted. Presidential debates. A Republican aide convicted; a Democratic Congressman indicted. There's been no shortage of news.
This week has also been a week of heroes.
An attempt to deliver a transplant organ to a critically ill patient awaiting surgery ended late Monday with six dead in a twin-engine plane crash on Lake Michigan, including both pilots, two surgeons, and two medical technicians.
The crash was apparently the result of a mechanical malfunction. The plane was reportedly spiraling out of control before the crash.
Those who died in the crash were genuine contributors, including cardiac surgeon Dr. Martinus "Martin" Spoor and transplant donation specialist Richard Chenault, who had flown dozens of similar transplant missions before. Chenault reportedly spent 18 years coaching at a 500-student Catholic high school near Ann Arbor. "He was going to get coach-of-the-year honors in both girl's track and girl's cross country at a sports banquet Monday night, but never made it."
Also killed were Dr. David Ashburn, a 35-year-old physician-in-training in pediatric cardiothoracic surgery, and another transplant donation specialist, Richard LaPensee, who reportedly enjoyed flying radio-controlled model planes in his spare time.
The pilots who died were Dennis Hoyes and Bill Serra. Both worked for the university's jet-service contractor.
There are other victims. The transplant organ was, of course, removed from a patient who had died, whose identity has not been released.
The intended recipient of the transplant organ (probably a heart, though details are not being released due to medical privacy rules) remains in critically ill condition at last report.
The list of victims would not be complete without a mention of the survivors. Perhaps they will take some small comfort in knowing that their loved ones died while engaged in a mission of mercy. They were all genuine heroes.
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Update 6/9/07: The patient, a 50-year-old Michigan man, has now received a double lung transplant. His condition is much improved but remains critical.
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