Well, I have not been on the forum for a number of years now. I sure wish I was not here today. But I got a brief email from John Paris this afternoon to tell my my friend, coach, and mentor of many years Frank Carlisle had died last night. We have no details but Frank was hit while walking by a hit and run driver near Christmas. He came down thru the windshield and totaled the car. In true Frank style, he was very proud of that. The accident resulted in considerable brain trauma and intercrainial bleeding. Frank really fought to recover but I could see he never did make it back. The injuries he suffered prevented him from understanding a lot of things when strangers talked to him and his doctors were never able to communicate his condition to him very well, and the accident just seemed to knock all his wonderful patience out of him.
For the last number of years Frank had been flying regularly with Rick Sawicki, myself, and the Adamissins. He did finally give it up a year ago and preferred to just come out and launch, help others, talk to the RC pilots, and let me know he always enjoyed comming out to see if I'd crash something. He did really enjoy those.
The last time I saw Frank he told me he really did not mind if he died now. All he wanted to do was to be a good person so he could go to heaven. Well, he succeeded at that in spades.
bob branch