On Monday, July 22 at around 9pm, a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s Search and Rescue team responded to an emergency call of a hiker stuck on a rock ledge. A helicopter was brought in to retrieve the hiker because of the dangerous terrain.
An officer was lowered to the hiker where he attached the hiker to a hoist cable to be pulled up into the helicopter. Somehow, the search and rescue officer became detached from the hoist cable in the process and fell into the canyon below.
Other search and rescue team members were able to reach the officer quickly but the sheriff described it as an "unsurvivable fall." The hiker was hoisted to safety.
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The officer was later identified as Officer David Vanbuskirk. Vanbuskirk had been with Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department since 1999 and joined the search and rescue team in 2007. He also described the rescue as "routine" and said that Vanbuskirk had done "dozens" of such rescues. The sheriff described Vanbuskirk as a "local boy born and raised" and said that he had an extended family.
On Monday, July 29, the Las Vegas Community honored a fallen hero. Below is a video of his motorcade ride to the church where his funeral was held.
Isn't that just the mark of a true hero. Someone who thinks that their brave acts are just normal and routine. I'm sure he will be missed. Thoughts and prayers to his family.
ReplyDeleteWow. These are the heroes our children should be learning about. The everyday heroes that do not require a cape. Prayers to his family.
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