[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Page 11228]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   REMEMBERING TROOPER AARON BEESLEY

 Mr. LEE. Mr. President, on June 30, Trooper Aaron Beesley 
responded to a call to rescue two teenagers stranded on Mount Olympus 
in the Wasatch Mountains near Salt Lake City. As a part of the search 
and rescue helicopter unit, he helped load the two teenagers into the 
helicopter, ensuring their own safety before his own. When the 
helicopter pilot had secured the hikers, he went back for Trooper 
Beesley, only to find that he had fallen down the 60-foot cliff face. A 
hero fell from Mount Olympus. Someone once said, ``A hero is always 
remembered, but legends never die.'' Aaron Beesley woke up that morning 
already a hero in every sense of the word, and he fell that night into 
legend, a legend of service and sacrifice that will live far beyond his 
mortality.
  His mother recalled that from the age of 5 Aaron had aspired to be a 
firefighter. His greatest ambition was to protect others from harm and 
danger. He attended the police academy after serving a LDS mission in 
Oakland, CA, and was then hired by the Utah Highway Patrol. There he 
committed to ``face danger with confidence, resolution and bravery'' 
and to ``meet the service needs of everyone encountered.'' These 
principles were a part of Aaron's nature long before he became a 
trooper. He may have fallen in the line of duty, but for him, this duty 
was his life. He saw the world through the lens of a hero, constantly 
seeking opportunities to help and serve others long after the workday 
ended. At his funeral service, Aaron's mother Laretta Beesley said, 
``Aaron was a hero every day of his life.'' Based on his rescue record, 
lifesaving awards, medal of excellence, and the tremendous words of 
praise from his family and coworkers, I believe his mother's 
description is perfect.
  Aaron will be remembered as a man of many hats. He is survived by his 
wife Kristie and sons Austin, 7, and twins Derek and Preston, 4. They 
will remember him as a loving husband and father. His brother Arik 
remembers him as a hero, recalling the countless phone calls they 
shared in which Aaron provided a play-by-play account of his latest 
rescue. His parents remember him as a clever practical joker. As a 
child he once tricked a group of neighborhood boys into performing his 
loathed chore of stacking wood by telling them how much fun it would 
be. His mother lovingly remembers how he watched them do it for him 
with a sly smile, periodically expressing how much he would love to be 
stacking wood too. His coworkers and friends remember him as a genius 
who could fix anything, from neighbors' broken electronics to highway 
patrol communications equipment. Aaron was even able to perform the 
necessary maintenance on the patrol's air fleet, saving the department 
thousands of dollars. His colleague Steve Winward remembers him as an 
inventor, designing cell phone applications for helicopter flight 
navigation and field sobriety tests.
  Mr. President, I pay tribute today to Aaron Beesley not simply to 
mourn his loss but to celebrate his life, his willingness to perform 
his duty and serve others. Sharon and I extend our condolences to 
Kristie, Austin, Derek and Preston and praise them for their courage at 
this difficult time. Aaron truly remembered service before self, as do 
all who wake up every morning prepared to give their lives for those 
they serve. I pray that his family, friends, and loved ones may feel an 
outpouring of love and support from grateful citizens around the 
country and that they may forever remember Aaron with the tremendous 
pride his legacy deserves.

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