More details have been released about a fatal hospital helicopter crash in northern Iowa.To see the whole story you can go to WHO TV website here.
Mercy Medical Center North Iowa confirmed its medical helicopter Mercy Air Med went down on its way to pick up a patient at 9:00 p.m. Wednesday night.
The hospital says there were three people in the helicopter when it crashed in a field in Ventura. There were no survivors.
Mercy says the nurse on board was Shelly Lair-Langenbau, known to friends and family as Shell. The paramedic was Russell Piehl, or “Russ”. The pilot’s name is not being released yet.
Hospital officials say the chopper was on its way from the hospital in Mason City to Emmetsburg to pick up a patient.
Staff members say the hospital staff is small and therefore, very close. Dan Varnum, the President and CEO of Mercy North Iowa described Lair-Langenbau and Piehl in a statement Thursday morning:
“They were each selfless healthcare professionals devoted to the delivery of emergency medical care. While they fulfilled significant duties, they played a greater role as our neighbors and friends.”
This story hit me kind of hard this morning because I immediately thought of two of my nursing students that were in my Caring class at Mercy College last semester. They came to mind because of their goal to be an emergency responder nurse on a chopper crew.
I also thought of the medical services crew I hang out with at the Iowa Speedway. As a chaplain I spend a lot of time with people from all over the Midwest who come to the Speedway in Newton, Iowa to watch races. But when I am just hanging out, it is usually with the medical services team including the helicopter crew from Mercy Hospital.
Even though I don't personally know the emergency responders on this flight crew, my heart is a little bit heavier this morning as I pray for their families and their fellow health care providers at Mercy North in Mason City.
I love everything about my job at Teen Challenge of the Midlands. I also love that I get the opportunity to impact future healthcare providers on Tuesday and Wednesday nights this coming semester at Mercy College of Health Sciences. I also love the opportunity to serve on the chaplaincy team at Iowa Speedway in the summer (Right now, I love that word, "summer". Oh, Summer, you cannot come fast enough!)
As I look forward to the start of a new semester next week, will you please join me in praying for my students, and pray for me! Pray that God will give me the creativity to present the power of "caring" to my students in a way that will energize them personally and enhance their professional lives and make their careers more enjoyable and fruitful. That is a big request- now you know why I covet your prayers.
And also pray for the families and friends of these healthcare providers who went to work last night, doing a job they probably loved and enjoyed doing. Pray for the emergency responders and healthcare providers in your community! I know everyone needs prayer. But this population is special to me because God has made it so. I appreciate your consideration of this request.
You Are Loved!
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