Edna crop duster loses life in plane crash

    The community is mourning the loss of one of its own after a crop duster’s plane crashed near Placedo early Friday evening.

    Wesley Jerome Fojtik, 40, of Edna passed away while doing what he loved. He leaves behind a wife, Amy, and 6-year-old son, Cort.

    The crash happened around 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 12 and according to Department of Public Safety Spokesman Ruben San Miguel, the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the accident.

    An outpouring of condolences and support is evidence of what Fojtik meant to the community. Amy has said that the posts have been comforting, especially the ones that share memories they have of Wesley. She said comments about the accident are too much, too soon and she hopes people respect her and the family by not posting anything about it.

    “I just want people to understand that these pilots out there aren’t crazy daredevils out there flying around,” she said. “They are highly skilled professionals with the highest level of flying. Their profession is their passion, along with their family and God. Wesley always said he was ‘prayed up and fueled up and ready to go.’”

    “He had so many people that looked up to him that there aren’t enough words out there to describe how good he is.”

    Amy’s employer, Keith Orsak, is close with the family and fondly recalls his friend.

    “We tragically lost Wesley on Friday, for those that knew him what I have to say will not surprise anyone,” he said. “Wesley loved what he did, he was passionate about every minute of his day, not just his flying but his cattle, his hay, tinkering with his equipment and most assuredly him family and friends. Most importantly he was a beloved son, a wonderful husband, caring and loving father, and a trusted and valued friend to ‘so’ many people.

    “I have to stress ‘so’ many people. Over the last several days I have had the opportunity to meet so many of his friends and family that I did not previously know, under circumstances that I dearly wish did not happen. Some of these amazing people have known him much longer than I and what I witnessed gives testament to the type of man he was. From friends, neighbors, family and of course his ‘flying family’, the amount of people that have been with his family the last several days to not only express condolences but to roll up their sleeves and take care of everything from rolling and stacking his hay that he cut down sometime last week to getting the old Dodge running because he told Amy if the good Lord called, to bring him home in the back of that truck. I can only hope this support has given comfort to his family as it has to me.

    “Finally, the Lord has decided it was time to call Wesley home, and although this is extremely hard to understand, I hope and pray constantly for the strength and guidance for everyone to handle the circumstances that we are faced with. This is definitely too soon, but I know in my heart we are all thankful for the time the Lord gave us to share him. Now if you didn't know Wesley, I hope and pray the Lord has put someone in your life exactly like him because that would truly be a blessing.”

    A GoFundMe account has been set up for the family, but donations can be also be sent to Amy via PayPal to amyfojtik@yahoo.com or to Cort’s account in Prosperity Bank.