Best friend of fallen EPS officer completes airborne tribute
A pair of aviators in Nova Scotia offered a high-altitude tribute Tuesday to the Edmonton Police Service constables who were killed in the line of duty.
Dimitri Neonakis and Brodie Sampson flew a ribbon flight path over Travis Jordan's hometown of Coldbrook, N.S., in honour of him and his partner Brett Ryan, who were both shot and killed last week while responding to a domestic dispute.
Sampson is a former commercial airline pilot. He grew up with Jordan and is one of his best friends. Neonakis is the father of a Vancouver police officer.
The pilots took off out of Halifax and completed the air tribute in a Cirrus aircraft. It was a sentimental experience for Sampson, given how he would often fly with Jordan, who would take him on EPS ride-alongs.
"We were there to pay our respects and bring awareness to the thin blue line that is the job of being a police officer and ultimately how dangerous it can be," Sampson said.
"Travis and Brett both paid the ultimate price protecting us," he added. "They're gone so we can still be here."
Brodie Sampson on a ride-along with Const. Travis Jordan (Supplied).
In an interview with CTV News Edmonton, Sampson explained how Neonakis often completes sky paintings to raise awareness of causes.
"I probably have 6,000 flight hours, but I've never done this before," Sampson said. "Doing the ribbon is actually pretty complex to do in an airplane. You constantly have to slow the airplane down to make these turns."
"I was able to watch and learn."
The pair of pilots after finishing the airborne tribute (Supplied).
Sampson will fly to Edmonton this weekend to attend a regimental funeral for Jordan and Ryan.
"I feel kind of selfish even feeling bad knowing what Travis' wife and immediate family are going through," Sampson said. "It's such a huge loss."
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Erin Isfeld
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bird flu, measles top 2025 concerns for Canada's chief public health officer
As we enter 2025, Dr. Theresa Tam has her eye on H5N1 bird flu, an emerging virus that had its first human case in Canada this year.
Azerbaijan observes day of mourning for air crash victims as speculation mount about its cause
Azerbaijan on Thursday observed a nationwide day of mourning for the victims of the plane crash that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured as speculation mounted about a possible cause of the disaster that remained unknown.
Donald Trump says he urged Wayne Gretzky to run for prime minister in Christmas visit
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump says he told Canadian hockey legend Wayne Gretzky he should run for prime minister during a Christmas visit but adds that the athlete declined interest in politics.
Working Well: Returning to the office can disrupt life. Here are some tips to navigate the changes
Heading into 2025, thousands of workers face an unsettling reality: after years of working from the comfort of home, they must return to the office full-time for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic or look for new work.
Prayers and tears mark 20 years since the Indian Ocean tsunami that killed some 230,000 people
People gathered in prayer and visited mass graves in Indonesia’s Aceh province on Thursday to mark 20 years since the massive Indian Ocean tsunami hit the region in one of modern history’s worst natural disasters.
New York taxi driver hits 6 pedestrians, 3 taken to hospital, police say
A taxicab hit six pedestrians in midtown Manhattan on Wednesday, police said, with three people — including a 9-year-old boy — transported to hospitals for their injuries.
Historical mysteries solved by science in 2024
This year, scientists were able to pull back the curtain on mysteries surrounding figures across history, both known and unknown, to reveal more about their unique stories.
Thousands without power on Christmas as winds, rain continue in B.C. coastal areas
Thousands of people in British Columbia are without power on Christmas Day as ongoing rainfall and strong winds collapse power lines, disrupt travel and toss around holiday decorations.
Ho! Ho! HOLY that's cold! Montreal boogie boarder in Santa suit hits St. Lawrence waters
Montreal body surfer Carlos Hebert-Plante boogie boards all year round, and donned a Santa Claus suit to hit the water on Christmas Day in -14 degree Celsius weather.