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Date: Thu, 18 Aug 2005 14:27:08 -0400
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From: Victor Marinelli <victor_marinelli@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [LML] Kevin Roberts
In-Reply-To: <list-673449@logan.com>
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Many of you read my email yesterday, which I typed
just minutes after I heard of Kevin's untimely death.
I still remain very upset and "broken" so to speak, as
this was the first aviation related death that touched
me in a personal way. I realize people may find it odd
that I can be touched in such a way from the death of
an individual I never even met in person. As stated
yesterday, I had been corresponding with Kevin from
the moment he returned from Oshkosh. My wife has
always credited me with a keen ability to assess a
person's character relatively soon after I meet or
speak with them. I always laughed when she would say
this, but she was right in Kevin's case. From the
moment I began exchanging phone calls and emails with
Kevin, she recalled how I would come home from my
stressful job in the evening and say in an upbeat
voice "Hey, I spoke with Kevin again today, man, what
a helpful and down to earth person!"

Last year, I decided to fulfill a life long dream and
obtain my private pilot's license. I just passed my
check ride this past July. I immediately began to
think of either buying or building a plane. Since I am
a low time pilot, my concern was that I would not be
able to handle a high performance plane like the
Legacy. I realized I can in fact do this, I would just
need to take my time. I was ok with the fact that it
would take years to build this plane, as that would
give me the time and budget to continue getting my
instrument rating, along with the complex/high perf
experience I would need in the end. I was in no hurry
to finish the plane. I also decided that eventually, I
would even take the Lancair inital flight training to
be as safe as I possibly could. Kevin was very patient
with all of my questions and my "on-off" attitude
towards building a kit. His enthusiasm regarding
aviation transcended the scope of a potential kit
sale. Once I had decided to move forward with the
project, he was very helpful, happy and kind as
always. The last I spoke with him was on that dreaded
August 15 in the afternoon, I don’t remember exactly
what time it was. I phoned him and he was a bit out of
breath, as he explained he had been playing
racquetball. I asked him to look out for some papers I
faxed over earlier. He told me he would check and call
me later in the evening. I never heard from him. As
irony would have it, I was home on Monday night and I
commented to my wife, "Kevin hasn't called me back
yet". I found it odd since his communication skills
were flawless and if he said he would get back to me
later on, he meant it. In a brief moment of denial,
yesterday I actually phoned his mobile hoping he would
answer and conclude there was some kind of mistake.
Instead his message played, and that voice is now
permanently etched in my brain.

I am a husband, and father to a 3 year old boy and a 2
month old girl, and I remain heartbroken for his
family. I cannot imagine what they are going through.
I feel like I know them, I hurt for them. In some
strange way, I also feel like my hobby may have died
along with Kevin.

I do realize that sometimes we regret our actions and
decisions made out of haste. Therefore I  will need to
gather my thoughts over the next few weeks and put
everything into the proper perspective. At the moment,
I question whether I will fly again. I know that may
sound extreme. I have to add that my current state of
flux is in no way attributable to Lancair or their
incredible aircraft. This is purely personal. I have
been putting myself in Kevin’s place and can’t handle
the thought of departing this world and leaving my
family behind.

In summary, I apologize if this email is a "downer",
and respect each and every one of you. Please continue
to do what you do. Maybe I will join the ranks.
I don't know yet.


Kind regards,
Victor

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