On Friday night, tragedy unfolded as a Care Flight airplane crashed in a secluded, mountainous area of Nevada, taking the lives of five people on board.
Shortly after 9:45 p.m., Lyon County Sheriff dispatchers received reports of a possible plane crash, and approximately 90 minutes later, rescue crews had pinpointed the location of the downed aircraft to a nearby community 45 miles southeast of Reno.
Flight records identified the plane as a Pilatus PC-12, manufactured in 2002, flying with a pilot, a flight nurse, a flight paramedic, and a patient and their family member.
Ryan Watson, 27, was identified as the flight paramedic onboard. Watson was beloved for his infectious personality, hilarious spirit, and ambitious and free-spirited tendencies. The family was left grief-stricken as Watson had just welcomed a newborn son into their lives only one month before.
At the time of the crash, the National Weather Service had issued a winter storm warning for Lyon County, the area where the airplane had gone down. Heavy snow and wind gusts of up to 65 mph, and periods of whiteout conditions were being experienced.
As the community mourns the tragedy, they are also seeking answers. The cause of the crash is still being investigated, and the authorities remain tight-lipped on the purpose of the plane ride or why the patient had been on board in the first place.
Nevertheless, the memory of Ryan Watson and the other four passengers has been forever inscribed into the hearts of their families and the local community. He will be remembered as an incredible care provider, an adoring husband, and a devoted father.