Wife’s heart-wrenching tribute to hero pilot killed while battling Yosemite inferno

Mourners gathered to honor the two fallen hero firefighters who lost their lives battling the recent Yosemite fire, as a grieving wife remembered her husband for doing something he loved.

The wife of Ryan Cutter, Nina Pacchia, recounted how the two had met and emphasized gratitude for the outpouring of support.

“I knew Ryan was doing what he loved. It’s very rare to find someone who loves what they do like Ryan did,” Pacchia told The Park Record.

“I didn’t consider him a firefighter until all of this happened, and there was a white-glove, red carpet memorial, the utmost care, sensitivity and outpouring from the firefighting community. They’ve really wrapped their arms around me, and I know they’ve done the same with Kelly, the other pilot’s wife. She and I communicate every day,” she added on.

Pacchia also said that being invited to memorial services and to Precision Helicopter’s Christmas parties –– the company that operated the helicopter –– will help her carry a part of Cutter with her.

“I don’t know how I’m going to move forward, but the generosity, it’s a memorialization of Ryan’s (own) generosity,” she said.

The two had met in 2012 and got married in 2016 after their friendship grew. When they had met, Cutter was already working as a helicopter pilot and was a BASE jumper, paraglider and skydiver.

Being a firefighting pilot was always Cutter’s goal and he became passionate about it after switching from air medical in 2017.

A procession was held for both Cutter, a Utah helicopter pilot, and for Greg King, an Alaskan pilot, on Tuesday after both were tragically killed in a crash in Yosemite.

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Both pilots were flown back to their respective home states for a memorial procession after a joint one in California last week.

The hero firefighters were killed after their aircraft crashed while battling the wildfire.

The Yosemite Dome Fire burned thousands of acres and it was revealed Tuesday that an abandoned campfire sparked the blaze.

The fire began around 7 a.m. on Sept. 15, according to Cal Fire and burned about 5,500 acres, forcing the closure of multiple trails in Yosemite National Park.

As of Wednesday, the fire was more than a third contained.

A GoFundMe was created to help Cutter’s wife in processing his loss and to ease the financial strain on the family. A fundraiser for King was also made to help support his wife and daughters.

Cutter’s GoFundMe has raised over $82,700, and King’s has raised more than $104,000.