Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.
You know, last week, just as we were memorializing 92 officers who died in the line of duty in Maine, our state lost two more valued public servants in tragic circumstances: Warden Pilot Joshua Tibbetts and volunteer firefighter Andrew Cross.
For Josh Tibbetts, flying was more than a professional career. It was a calling, an activity he cherished. His family said no matter where life took him—into a cockpit, or on an outdoor adventure like boating or bird hunting, skiing with his daughters or snowmobiling, taking walks or going for a run—his greatest joy was making memories with the people he loved. He deeply valued human connection, and it showed in his dedication to public service and to community organizations that were close to his heart. Josh was a guardian of our outdoor heritage as a Game Warden Pilot. He was responsible for preserving the woods and waters and wildlife of Maine, as well as search and rescue efforts—protecting people as they explored the wilderness and experienced the wonders of our state.
Josh lost his life when his plane crashed in Franklin County on Tuesday, May 12. Our wardens put their lives on the line every day to protect the public safety, but just knowing the dangers of the job doesn't prepare you for the immeasurable pain of the sudden loss of a friend or colleague on duty. So, on behalf of the 1.4 million people of Maine, I have expressed our deepest condolences to Josh Tibbetts' family and friends who are enduring an unimaginable sorrow, as well as to the entire Warden Service and staff of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, as we all grieve the loss of their colleague, who was laid to rest this past Thursday.
Then our grief was deepened by the loss of Andrew Cross, a volunteer firefighter in Morrill, and a hero who died last week responding to the emergency at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont. A small business owner and a machinist at Bath Iron Works who grew up in Morrill in a large and loving family, Andrew Cross was always ready to help other people. His family said his smile endeared him to everyone he met, and that his spirit will forever be with them any time they see a big buck, or chase a fast rabbit, or hear the soft tread of a bear, or sneak up on a gobbling turkey, wet a line with a new lure, or hear the rumble of an old tractor or a dump truck that needs repairs.
To Andrew's family, friends, and colleagues: know that we will be by your side through this sudden and devastating loss.
You know when our hearts are broken, we share our strength to keep each other standing, and that's when I'm proudest of Maine people. The volunteer firefighters, and ambulance crews, and staff at Pen Bay Hospital, Waldo Hospital, LifeFlight, and Maine Medical Center all shared that strength when they responded to the Robbins Lumber crisis with such professionalism and with both medical and humanitarian aid. As did the Portland Fire Department, which has been assisting with food and housing and transportation for the families of the injured. I ask Maine people now to share their strength with Andrew Cross' loved ones, as well as with the fire and EMT personnel, and the Robbins family and staff who are now receiving care, so that they may make a full recovery. We want them back.
May we all recognize the risks that law enforcement officers and first responders take when they answer the call, as Josh Tibbetts did, and as Andrew Cross bravely did, to protect public safety and to keep this state the best place in the nation to live, work, and raise a family.
And so this Memorial Day Weekend, as we think about the brave soldiers we've lost in combat, stop also and give a thought to these two remarkable men who gave their lives in the service of our state.
This is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.