FRIENDS and family of pilot Luc Fortin remembered him on Thursday as a fun-loving, active outdoorsman whose love of nature was rivalled only by his love for his wife and baby daughter.
About 200 people filled the Seymour Golf Club in North Vancouver for the celebration of his life.
Fortin, 44, died last Thursday when the twin-engined plane he was flying crashed on to Russ Baker Way in Richmond, about 900 metres short of the YVR runway.
He leaves behind his wife, Dagne, and 16-month-old daughter Katelyn.
At the memorial, Fortin's active life was illustrated with tokens and photos
of him biking, fishing, playing hockey and competing in a biathlon on display. Model planes and his pilot's stripes and radio depicted his love of aviation.
In speeches, friends and family painted a portrait of a funny, charming man who would give anyone in need the shirt off his back. He loved hiking, exploring in his Toyota 4Runner, "stinky cheeses," red wine and scotch. He couldn't have been happier to marry Dagne and have their daughter, Katelyn, friends and family said.
They heralded him as a hero: Two speakers mentioned a Google search of "hero pilot" turned up Fortin, next to the name of Chesley Burnett (Sully) Sullenberger, the airline pilot who successfully landed a US Airways flight 1549 in New York's Hudson River in January 2009
Following the speeches and a slide show that brought on laughter and tears from those attending, loved ones shared stories of Fortin as they indulged in his favourites: wine and stinky
cheeses.
Outside, people wrote messages to Fortin on yellow Post-it notes and stuck them to the back of his truck. One commented he was probably navigating a sweet trail up in heaven.
There was a moment of silence to send positive thoughts to co-pilot Matt Robic, who remains in critical condition in the intensive care unit at Vancouver General Hospital.
The Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash.
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