Who were Steven Fitzgerald and Russell Haslam? Two military veterans among three dead in Air Evac helicopter crash

Flight paramedic Steven Fitzgerald and pilot Russell Haslam were among three people who died in an Air Evac helicopter crash over the weekend near Hydro.

Per multiple reports citing Air Evac Lifeteam officials, a medical helicopter was returning to base in Weatherford after dropping off a patient at a hospital in Oklahoma City on Saturday, January 20, when their control center lost contact with the crew.

Shortly after, they learned the helicopter crashed near Hydro, and three crew members identified, as pilot Russell Haslam, flight nurse Adam Tebben, and flight paramedic Steven Fitzgerald, had died.

In a statement, Air Evac Lifeteam, identifying the victims in the crash, expressed gratitude to everyone who offered support in the wake of the crash. Part of the statement read:

"Thank you for all the support and love you have shown the Air Evac family during this difficult time. It is with a very heavy heart we share that three of our colleagues, Pilot Russell Haslam, Flight Nurse Adam Tebben and Medic Steven Fitzgerald passed away in an air accident on the evening of January 20.”

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

---

What we know about the victims in the Air Evac helicopter crash

In the wake of the helicopter crash, several people took to social media to pay tribute to the victims. In a Facebook post, EMSA Oklahoma, which provides EMS services, revealed that Steven Fitzgerald was a military veteran who worked for them after serving the country “in Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine, and Syria as a U.S. Army Flight Paramedic.”

Shortly after his last deployment, Fitzgerald reportedly came back to EMSA before joining Air Evac Lifeteam.

Russell Haslam's friend, Eddie Sprabary, told KOCO TV that the late pilot, who served in the military for 30 years, was a loving father of two girls.

"The most important thing about Russ, and he would want me to say this as well, he was a father. He loved his daughters, and they were the world to them. Next to that was his family." Sprabary said.

Sprabary, who said his friend was the life of the party, revealed he served with the late pilot in the 160th Special Operation Aviation Regiment.

"Russ was the life of the party. People loved talking with him. When you were talking to Russ one-on-one, you knew he was listening and truly cared about what you had to say.”

After serving in the military for three decades, Haslam, described as a selfless individual, reportedly retired and began serving his community as a pilot on Air Evac.

In a Facebook post, a friend, Corrie Stump, said Adam Tebben, the third victim in the crash, was a Kansas native who worked as an Emergency Department charge nurse during the pandemic at Wesley Medical Center. Stumph revealed that Tebben left Wesley to work at his dream job as a flight nurse.

According to KFOr reporter Taylor Mitchell, Tebben leaves behind a wife, sister, and two parents.