A memorial service was held at the Grace Community Church in Roswell to honor the lives of four air medical crew members who were killed in the crash of Trans Aero Medevac flight TA-40. The crew members, flight nurse Sarah Clark, flight nurse Jamie Novick, pilot Keelan Clark, and pilot Ali Kawsara, were remembered as compassionate caregivers, skilled aviators, and devoted loved ones.

Service Details

Family members, coworkers, and first responders gathered to celebrate the lives of the crew members. Speakers described the crew as more than coworkers, saying they were bound by trust, service, and a commitment to helping others during medical emergencies.

Matthew Goertz, president of Trans Aero Medevac, told mourners that the four chose careers centered on caring for people. “Helping others simply wasn’t what they did, it was who they were,” Goertz said.

The memorial included a White Line Ceremony, in which carnations were placed in a vase to symbolize emergency medical workers and pilots who “bridge the gap between life and death.” Five candles were also lit — one for each crew member and a fifth representing their bond as a team.

Family members shared personal memories of each of the four. Ryan Novick, Jamie Novick’s husband, called her his wife, best friend, and “the love of my life,” saying she made every day brighter and had a gift for making people feel seen and valued.

Keelan Clark’s mother, Kim Byler, said her son loved flying but was also known for his kindness, generosity, and deep care for others. “Life is short. Enjoy it,” she said, reading from a note Keelan once left in a trail notebook.

Final Call and Retirement of Call Sign

During the service, dispatchers performed a final call for TA-40 and each crew member. After no response, the dispatcher said the crew had “completed their mission” and were now “on eternal watch.” The call sign TA-40 was also formally retired.

Original reporting: KOAT Albuquerque — read the source article.