The community of Red Bluff, alongside family and colleagues, paid their respects to Susan "Suzie" Smith a flight nurse who tragically died following a medical helicopter crash on Highway 50. The procession took place yesterday, honoring the veteran nurse's five-decade career of service. Reach Air Medical Services flew Smith's remains from Sacramento to Red Bluff, where she was then transported to Palo Cedro by ground ambulance, as reported by ABC10.
According to FOX40, the somber moment happened just days after the crash that injured three, including Smith, who succumbed to her injuries days later. The family has requested privacy; however, the public was invited to observe the procession along the route to extend their respects, provided they do so safely and without impeding traffic. Smith's family is also planning a Celebration of Life event, though details remain forthcoming.
Smith's impact on emergency medical services was profound, with nearly 21 years at REACH and countless lives saved in her career. REACH Air Medical Services noted Suzie's dedication in a statement, "We will remember Suzie as a pillar of the EMS and healthcare community who saved countless lives by delivering compassionate care in their darkest hours," as noted by ABC10. Her family has announced the creation of a memorial fund, "Our Angel That Files Foundations," to support causes close to her heart, including nursing scholarships, mission work, and community outreach.
In the wake of the crash, the community echoes Smith's legacy of kindness and service. Pilot Chad Millward and paramedic Margaret Davis, the other two individuals involved in the accident, are reported by FOX40 to be in critical condition, but expected to survive. A witness to the crash, Isabella Lozano Villescaz, provided a heart-rending account, saying, "I can still see her there and holding her hand," she told FOX40. "I wish she could have opened her eyes, but she couldn't." Villescaz also conveyed her wish that Smith's family know, "she was not alone."
