Reno Air Race Disaster

Renown Health received the first call at 4:26 p.m. A plane had crashed at the Reno Air Races into a crowd of spectators.

It wasn’t just one hospital that responded; it truly was a communitywide initiative. Without the coordinated efforts and incredible skill of the first responders, without the knowledge and resources  provided by the region’s other outstanding hospitals, without the outpouring of love and support from friends and strangers alike – the tragedy would have deepened. Because everyone worked together, there’s little doubt that many lives were saved that night.

The Air Race accident already has taken a deep toll. Lives were lost; our neighbors, friends and family are
injured both physically and emotionally; we have experienced something collectively that has forever changed us.

Countless untold stories of heroism and compassion from that evening remain; this publication is our attempt to tell just a handful. We hope many will embrace this as part of their healing process, and that all will find reassurance throughout these pages that this community is able to care for its own even during the darkest of times.