Capt. Jennifer Casey (Image Credit: RCAF)

By Michael Reeve

SNOWBIRD ANNIVERSARY

Two years after tragic Kamloops crash, Capt. Jennifer Casey’s legacy still soars with Snowbirds

May 17, 2022 | 4:28 PM

KAMLOOPS — Two years ago, the Canadian Armed Forces Snowbirds were on Operation Inspiration, a mission aimed at improving the spirits of Canadians in at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The aerial team had completed its demonstration in Kamloops and was taking off when the unthinkable happened. One of the demonstration aircraft crashed in Brocklehurst, killing Capt. Jennifer Casey.

“I have her jersey in the back and I’m sitting at the desk she used to work on. I have pictures of her everywhere, paintings from the crowd,” said Captain Gabriel Ferris, Public Affairs Officer for the CAF Snowbirds.

The Snowbirds were heading out of Kamloops when, shortly after takeoff, a bird strike would cause a plane to crash, injuring pilot Capt. Richard Macdougall and sadly taking the life of Capt. Casey.

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“She would just drive everybody forward to keep doing their best. She would always be smiling, always be joyful, just bring happiness all over the place and make sure people do their best all the time. She is still driving that, even for me she is a source of inspiration everywhere I go. To thrive forward and try to do my best,” said Ferris.

“As a community it was a very sad day, but I think we will continue to support the Canadian Armed Forces and certainly the Snowbirds going forward,” added Kamloops Mayor Ken Christian.

Snowbird pilots typically serve on the team for just two years, and with this anniversary of the crash, much of the team has changed since that tragic day. But, the legacy of Casey lives on as new recruits enter the fold each year, along with the stories of the other pilots lost in the line of duty.

“It’s not just Captain Casey, we have lost several members in the past. And yes, May 17 is an important day for us. But we actually bring everything to December 10. We actually lost two members on that day (in separate crashes in 1998 and 2004),” stated Ferris.

The captain’s memory is not just being remembered within the Snowbird ranks. Last year, the City of Kamloops announced a permanent memorial will be built in Casey’s honour near the Kamloops Airport.

“We memorialize Jennifer Casey with a park that is going to be under construction starting this summer and completed in 2023. It will be a place for us to come and reflect on her, her life and what the Snowbirds mean to Canada,” said Christian.

“People are still asking us, ‘You need to come back to Kamloops. We need to see. We need to have you here.’ It is warming our hearts to be able to see that from the community,” concluded Ferris.