REMASTERED | Remembering Casey Frankoski | Memorial Day Special Episode

0:19 The Army National Guard has a dual role, serving both the state and the nation. They respond to state emergencies like natural disasters or civil unrest, while also being ready for federal deployments for combat missions or homeland defense. On Friday, March eighth, twenty twenty four, at two fifty pm, members of New York's National Guard were protecting our southern border.

1:00 Casey Frankoski, twenty eight, a pilot aboard a UH seventy two Lakota helicopter, tragically lost her life in addition to two others, including pilot John Gracia the third and Border Patrol Agent Chris Luna, when that helicopter crashed near Rio Grand City, Texas. Miraculously, crew Chief Sergeant first Class Jacob Pritt survived but was severely injured. On today's episode, I'm going to focus on one of these heroes, though they are all equally deserving. Today, my Memorial Day is all about remembering Casey. Welcome by to this Memorial Day special episode of Exposed Scandalous Files of the Elite. And in today's episode, it's going to be a little bit different than what you typically get out of Exposed, and I'm going to start off by telling you how this episode really came about and why. And I'll start off with the why. Now, many of you know I have a very deep affinity for military service. I have a long

2:30 history in my family of military service, going back pretty much as far as you can go in United States history. I'm very proud of that. And most people I know they have a favorite holiday, and a lot of people love Christmas. I love Christmas. A lot of people love Halloween. I love seeing all these costumes on Halloween. But my favorite holiday is Memorial Day. Means a lot to me and I've always wanted to do a podcast centered around Memorial Day, and that is what we're doing today. So let me get into how this particular episode came about.

3:13 And it all started with a fan of the show. She's a celebrity member, a supporter of this show, and her name is Lisa Frankoski and she has just flat out awesome peeps. She is a registered nurse in New York, the big apple, beautiful blonde, a smile that would absolutely light up a room, and she has that kind of addictive New Yorker attitude. Well, I had done an episode early on in exposed can't exactly remember which episode, but on that episode I mentioned my affinity for the military, how much respect I had for the military, and Lisa Private messaged me and she told me a little bit about a tragic event that had occurred in her face family with her niece. Now, I get a ton of messages on that exposed messenger system through Facebook, so many in fact, that sometimes I don't see a message for months, but I caught that one within ten minutes of her sending that message, and the second I opened it up, I saw a picture of her niece in a helicopter, and that is what led to this. So I dug my heels in and I did some research, and it became somewhat of a passion for me to someday do this story regarding her niece, Casey Frankoski, who she refers

4:45 to as her triple thread, beauty, brains, and courage. I can't agree more with that description. This tragic event occurred, and I'm not going to get deep into what happened or even why it happened, but the coverage is out there if you want to learn more about it. My goal today is to tell you about Casey and who she was outside of this tragic event, because to me, that's where the real story is of this amazing hero. I've interviewed her father, Jim Frankowski, and I'm gonna tell you a little bit about him, and you're even gonna hear some clips of he and I as I do an informal interview. And likewise, I've interviewed Lisa Frankoski, who is the aunt of Casey. So let's get started now.

5:44 Casey was born to parents Jim and Jill Frankoski. And let me tell you a little bit about Jim. This would be a guy that I would call my kind of people, the kind of guy I could sit down, we could have a couple of bits and have probably some of the most entertaining conversation ever in our minds. Right off the bat, I felt like I clicked with this guy. And Jim is a hero in his own right now. He would be the last person to call himself that, but he is. He served three decades as a police officer in the city of Rensler. Not only that, but for his last five years he served his community as the chief of police of that city, which speaks to his leadership skills and something he would obviously pass down to Casey. Now, Jim and Jill had three children, with Casey being the middle child, and as someone who was also a middle child, I can kind of relate to that. Typically you're competitive when you're the middle child, but not arrogantly competitive, but you have a drive to you and certainly no exception. Early on in life, Casey didn't see a whole lot of limits. She challenged herself and she always seemed to persevere. So I asked Jim

7:14 about that and he shared this story of when Casey was around the age of six, which speaks to her perseverance. Listen to this. She didn't let things get in her way. If she wanted something, she did it. She wanted to ride her bike. Actually I think it was younger than that. She ended up breaking her arm in the summertime, and she still learned how to ride the bike. It was that camp she went off the edge of the road, took a fall, went down and put her arms straight out and ended up busting her elbow. She had to have surgery and pins, But you know what, she learned how to ride that bike. And that's what it's all about, right You fall down, you get back up. You don't quit, and there was just no quit in Casey Frankoski, even at an early age.

8:08 Now as she gets older she gets involved in other things. She gets very involved in bowling, absolutely loved to bawl. She played softball, She was a cheerleader, and interestingly enough, she was also a Girl Scout for thirteen years until she was eighteen years old. It was those early years, as a matter of fact, in the Girl Scouts that formed Casey's love for the outdoors. In the length of time that she was in the Girl Scouts, that speaks to Casey's dedication, which proves that when Casey started something, she finished it. Casey was also very independent, which is parents.

8:52 It's kind of a double edged sword for us. We love independence in our kids. It's a great trait to have, but it's also a scary trait for parents because we want to keep them safe, right and people who have a great trait like independence, they're going to kind of go against that grain when it comes to that. In case he was no exception. She danced to the beat of her own drum, and Jim provided a fantastic example of that in this club. She went to her first overnight camp for the Girl Scouts and Mom and I are freaking out all week because we can't contact her. Back in the day, there was no soul phones and if you could, you couldn't have them anyways, And you know, we're just all right.

9:40 At the end of the week comes we got to go pick her up. We go pick her up. We're like, you know, Mom's crying, how was it? You know, we missed you. She's like, I want to go back. First thing is that the first words out of her mouth. You know, I want to go back. And we're like, well, what did you do? And she's like, oh, we slept in the woods and you know, we made her own bathroom holes and just you know, she loved the outdoors from that day on. In any of us, as parents who have raised those independent kids, we can relate to that. We worry a lot more about it than they do. And as you just heard from Jim, she loved the outdoors and she loved to fish. They had a fishing camp. She would spend a lot of time there fishing, riding jet skis, playing corn hole, and most importantly, spending time with her family.

10:36 That love of the outdoors would shape things later on in the future for Casey. Casey was also well traveled and wanted to see the world. While still in her teens, she traveled to Madrid, Spain. This was in twenty thirteen. She traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and saw Pope Francis. In twenty sixteen, she traveled to Poland and saw Pope Francis for a second time. But through all of this, her athletics, her traveling, Casey would give back and she worked as a counselor for the East Green Bush Town Park Camp in her youth. So, Casey graduates from high school and it's interesting and really speaks to who Casey was that even right out of high school she was wise beyond her years. Let me read you her yearbook quote.

11:34 It said dreams are on the other side of fear. Now let that sink in and it's on to the next phase of life. But for Casey, she had a dream, She had a goal her whole life. She wanted to fly. I actually have an awesome picture of Casey in the cockpit of a Blackhawk at the age of four. What is her vision to fly? So she went to community college and she was dominating college like she pretty much did everything else, every other challenge in her life. She made great grades, was in the honors program, but that goal of flying never left her. Now, this college had a flight training program, and Casey of course was looking into this program, and look, these type of programs are not cheap, and the college had just went up on the cost of these programs. Flight time is really where you pay out of the wazoo, and you have to have a ton of flight time to become a certified pilot.

12:44 It's just flat out expensive. So she unfortunately had to put it off. She graduated from this two year college and then she registered at the University of Buffalo, where she was going to get a degree in business. Now, now her cousin owned a local PR firm, and he knew how talented and smart Casey was and he definitely wanted to hire. So he offers her an internship for the summer, which she accepted, and a week or two before school started, she goes to her mother and she tells her mom she had other plans. She just didn't see herself as someone that would be happy behind a desk, cooped up in an office every day and She definitely didn't want to waste money on something she knew would not be her thing. Now, her brother at this time was in the National Guard. He was a mechanic on Blackhawk helicopters, and he knew Casey had a dream of flying, and he had been talking to her about joining the National Guard. So Casey meets with the recruiter that recruited her brother, and together they see a path for Casey to realize that life long dream of flying, and that path was with the New York Army National Guard. So ultimately,

14:14 this is what she does. She joins the New York National Guard. This is in October of twenty sixteen. And look, this is a young lady that seems to always find a way. Her aunt, Lisa shared a comical story with me about Casey doing just that, and she even shared a little bit about her trick to better seats at concerts, which were another one of Casey's things. She loved to get a concerts. Lisa explains in this club. Story, her cousin told like it was Thanksgiving, all the bars are packed and her cousins were dropping her off this bar and this line is out and down blocks and they're like, Casey, how are you gonna get in?

14:56 Like this isn't safe, We're not leaving you. She's like, oh, trust me, I'm gonna be fine. Within five minutes they called her. She goes, I'm in, and they're like. How did you get in? She goes, I walked in through that door and through the kitchen. She loved her concerts, and when she went to concerts, she might have bought the back seat, she might have bought the seat up in the balcony, but she landed in the front pit or on the backstage in every concert she went to. I've got pictures of her on her phone and it's all these big country concerts, Kane Brown. She's like, I'm drinking backstage with Kane Brown. I'm doing this. I mean, if she wanted it, she did it. She's like, oh, come on, let's go.

15:38 And she just was magically at the stages, like she did that in every part of her life. So eventually she achieves her dream. She gets into and gets through flight school. No easy feet for anyone, but I would imagine even tougher for a female. Let's face it, the vast majority of black Hawk pilots are not female, and It's also true that if you're a female in a male dominated industry, typically you have to prove yourself double when a man would have to prove himself in many ways. But you know, Casey took that like she took everything else in life with a grain of salt.

16:24 It was just enough challenge to Casey. She was going to overcome it. And overcome it she did. And her father Gemini also discussed Seer School, and I was familiar with Seer School, but I didn't realize Casey had went through that Sear school. So if you're not familiar, let me tell you what it is. The acronym which is SERE stands for survival, evasion, resistance, and escape. And it's a training school that is very rigorous. The school teaches you skills for evading, capture, resisting interrogation, very intense school and this school has a very high attrition rate. As proud as Jim was for Casey achieving Flight school, he was absolutely blown away with pride that she completed Seer training.

17:26 And y'all, I can't begin to convey how impressive that is. Now along the way, Casey lifted up others. It wasn't just about Casey. That's just who she was. Her father, Jim, shared a story with me where she had a friend in the National Guard and this guy was struggling to do his boards and get chosen for flight school, and she worked with this kid NonStop to help him achieve his goal. Ultimately, he was chosen to good flight school, and later he would speak to the Frankoskis and say, the only reason he was in flight school was because of Casey. That's the difference she made in other people's lives, and to me, that speaks volumes about who she was as a person. And it's also important to mention that Casey's service did not stop with the Army National Guard.

18:27 At home, Casey was a volunteer firefighter as well as a member of the Environmental Conservation Corporation. And look through all these accomplishments that she had, she had to persevere through a lot of it. It didn't come easy to her. Not everything came easy, but she never quit. And it just seemed like every goal put in front of her, some way, somehow she was going to achieve it. She just worked as hard as she had to do to make it happen. She rises so far in the Army National Guard. As a matter of fact that in twenty nineteen she's appointed as a warrant officer and then promoted to a Warrant Officer iiO in twenty twenty one. Along the way, she becomes a pilot of the UH sixty Blackhawk helicopter and the UH seventy two Lakota helicopter. In November of twenty eighteen, she deployed to Kuwait and she remained there until September of twenty nineteen, and while there, she was with Detachment five Company, C, second Battalion, two hundred and forty fifth Aviation Regiment as a mission planner in that unit, which flew the Army's C twelve transport aircraft.

19:51 Casey then graduated from flight school in July of twenty twenty one, and shortly thereafter, as I mentioned, she was promoted to Chief Warrant Officer two. On October eleventh of twenty twenty three. Casey was then deployed as a pilot to Texas to patrol the US Mexico border. Then, while on that deployment, on Friday, March eighth of twenty twenty four, at two p fifty pm, members of the New York's National Guard were protecting our southern border. In Casey, at this time twenty eight years old. A pilot aboard a UH seventy two Lakota helicopter, as well as a pilot by the name of John Gracia, who incidentally was also a New York State policeman, a Border Patrol agent by the name of Chris Luna, and a crew chief Sergeant first Class Jacob Pratt were involved in a helicopter crash. Sadly, John and Chris passed away in that helicopter crash. Only Jacob Pritt survived, but he was severely injured. Now I'm not going to discuss anything further on this tragic event that occurred eighth March of twenty twenty four, except to

21:24 say that the crash was not pilot air. Throughout her military career, Casey garnered many awards, including the Army Accommodation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, as well as the Global War on Terrorism Expeditiary Medal. She earned the Army Service Ribbon, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the Non Commissioned Officer Professional Development rib it, the Armed Forces Reserve Metal, and the Basic Aviator Badge and Basic Aviation Badge. Her funeral drew thousands to pay their respects, and even the governor of the state of New York spoke during her funeral.

22:22 But it was her cousin Leah who really got me. As she spoke, she did a phenomenal job of telling who Casey was in the eyes of someone that knew her so well. It was so amazing. In fact, then I'm going to play it for you now so you can hear it. Hello everyone, my name is Leah and I am Kesey's cousin. I'm also her former fifth grade teacher, but we will get to that leader. I'd like to thank each and every one of you for your support, your love, and your kindness. It means the world to our family, especially to my aunt Jill, uncle Jimmy, and my cousins Tyler and Jetsey. It's so hard to think of a world where we are here and Casey is not. Casey was a beautiful, intelligent, vivacious, and spirited soul. Her smile was infectious and she lit up every room she entered. She was a natural born leader, a role model and someone you could always count on. To say, the world has lost a bright light is an understatement. Casey was as wonderful and amazing as she was because she had the best family. My Aunt Jill and Uncle Jimmy are two of the most loving and compassionate people I know. They always showered Casey with love. They believed in her, They cherished her, and they knew she was destined for great things.

23:55 They never discouraged her from doing anything. When she decided she was going to en live in the army in twenty sixteen, they trusted that this decision was the best and could not have been more proud of her. They knew she would give it her all, and give it all sheepit. From basic training, a nine month tour in Kuwait pilot school up to her most current deployment to Texas, Casey grew in ways we never imagined. She was a role model to her fellow soldiers, dubbed the aviation Mom, and someone her regiment could count on and call on whenever they needed anything. Whether she was in the pit at a country music concert or the cockpit of a helicopter, she was always doing the things She was passionate about and loved. Speaking of concerts, Casey had this special talent of being.

24:50 Able to upgrade her seat. She had a knack of getting much closer than her tickets said she should have been. Whether it be front row or a floor, Casey always found a way. Not only did this apply to concerts, it also applied to other establishments. A couple of years ago, Casey wanted to meet friends out at Ryan's Wake on Thanksgiving Eve, And if you know bars on Thanksgiving Eve, then you know the line was wrapped around the building. My cousin Bubber's or Bobby, and his fiance Skuyler dropped her off and when they saw the line was long, they laughed and told Casey that it was going to take hours to get in.

25:31 Casey assured them that she would find a way. And not five minutes later, Bubber's got a text message from Casey her usual selfie of her and her drink inside Ryan's Wake. How did she get in? In great Casey fashion, she simply snuck in the back door. If you know Casey, then you know how much she loved camping at Alpine Lake with her family and her friends. There was nothing more she loved than spending time with my aunt, my uncle, and my cousins. Alpine link was one of her absolute favorite places in the world. She forged so many wonderful relationships over the years. Casey was always.

26:11 Down for anything, especially a good came of cornhole. There was nothing more. She loved to play a camp and she loved it even more when she won. Casey was known for being the life of the party and you could always count on her for a good time, even if that meant showing. Up to camp as Joe dirt. She could always find the fun and she lived it up to the fullest. I cannot mention camp without her mentioning her prize possession, her jet ski. She was so happy when she finally got one. She would spend so much time out on the water, riding solo or with a companion. There was nothing more she loved to do in the summer than spend her time with her alpine family. As I said in my introduction, not only am my Casey's cousin, I was also her fifth grade teacher.

26:59 And I'm sure you're asking yourselves how could you have been her teacher? Leah, You're so young? First off, thank you. Secondly, I didn't mention this, and I'm sure you'll be floored by this, but Casey and I are actually twelve years apart, so it is possible. I actually was a student teacher at the school the year she was in fourth grade. Missus Bishop, the teacher I taught with, was due to have a baby the following year, and she asked me to fill in for her while she was out. And I remember viewing your class roster and seeing Casey's name on it, and I freaked out because A I didn't know if you could teach her cousin, and B I didn't want to create any problems for Casey, meaning I didn't want anyone thinking I was giving her special treatment, and I didn't want her getting any slap because we were related. I still remember the first time she called me miss Nerdacci. Actually she said Lee, miss Nerdocci. Yeah, it was a little awkward for the both of us in the beginning, but that year I was so blessed to see a side of Casey I never saw. She excelled in school and she was a role model student.

28:05 She had great friends and friendship she still has to this day, and was an all around great kid. I'm so happy I was able to have that special experience with Casey. It's something I will always hold near and dear to my heart. Casey and I always joked that we would be the crazy single cat ladies. We both have not one, not two, but three cats. Casey would jokingly become the third wheel on many of her brother Jesse and sister in laws Regan's dates. In fact, she didn't have to be invited along with them, She would just show up. On one specific date to red Lobster.

28:46 It happened to be endless shrimp night. Casey went all in and had about nine helpings, and she probably would have went for a tenth, but decided to stop because Jesse and Reagan were making fun of how much she had. Already scarfed down. However, her days was single um short, and last year she met a very special man, Anthony, who quickly became her person. Actually, I think it was the moment after their second date, when she met his entire family and when he rinsed his hands off outside in a puddle after they had eaten wings all night at the Glens Falls wing Fest that she knew he was the one Anthony from the bottom of our hearts. We thank you for loving our Casey and for showing her what true love really is. Casey loved to travel. She has been all over the world, from traveling all around the USA to Europe, South America, and Asia. She's seen more things and been to more places than your typical twenty eight year old.

29:43 She truly knew how to live life to the fullest. Casey was happiest when traveling alongside her friends and family. This summer, Casey and her family took a cruise to Alaska to celebrate Reagan and Jesse's honeymoon. They loved Alaska, specifically Juno, so much that Casey and Jesse jokingly said they would move there, where Jesse could become the police chief and Casey would become. The helicopter pilot tour guide for the Glacier. Although they were joking, I feel like that could have become a reality. Casey could have and would have absolutely made that happen. Not only did Casey love traveling with their family, she loved spending time with her friends and they loved spending time with her. Dubbed the life of the party, Casey knew how to have a good time.

30:30 She also knew how to push people out of their comfort. Zones, like the time she dragged her best friend Liz to New York City to a rap festival. Liz does not listen to rap music with people Liz had never met. Even though the experience wasn't an ordinary one for them, the two of them have the time of their lives. Speaking of Liz, we can add matchmaker to the list of titles. Casey held. She introduced Liz to John, and this May they'll be married. Excited to be standing by Liz's side as her maid of honor. She may not physically be standing by Liz, but I know she'll be there celebrating you just as much as you both celebrated in life together. Casey loved nothing more than serving her country. She enlisted in the Artmy National Guard in twenty sixteen. Casey graduator from Chief Warrant Officer School in November twenty nineteen. She was then promoted to Chief Warrenant Officer IWO in twenty twenty one.

31:31 Casey had dreams of becoming a pilot, so it was no surprise when she decided she wanted to go to flight school in Alabama. Casey graduated in July twenty twenty one, and then trained to become a UH sixty Blackhawk helicopter pilot. Casey was deployed this past October to patrol the United States Mexico border along with fellow soldiers and close friends John Gracia and Jake Pratt. Our support is with the Gracia family as they mourn the loss of their beloved John, and with the Pratt family praying that Jake makes a full recovery. We extend our support to Border Patrol Agent Christopher Luna's family. Casey was one in a million.

32:13 She was the best daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin, sister in law, friend, pilot, soldier, and human being. She was taken away from her loved ones way too soon. I know Mama, Grandmammy, Grandpa or Dachy and so many other loved ones that have passed are taken care of her for all of us. My Anchel loves the song see You Again by Carrie Underwood. So I will. Close with this, and I also have Casey's favorite drink with me. Don't worry, I'm not going to open it. Sorry, Casey.

32:56 We will see you again. This is not where it ends. We will always carry you with us until we see you again. What a beautiful tribute from cousin Lea Now. On March twenty third of twenty twenty four, a writer for The Post Star, a guy by the name of Andrew Valenza. He wrote an article titled what is Memorial Day About? And this article was centered around Casey Frankoski, whom he knew. It's absolutely amazing, very well written, and I'm going to read it for you quickly now, and it starts before you get the grills ready. This weekend, I'd like to give a respectful reminder that Memorial Day isn't about celebration.

33:46 This weekend is not about the fourth of July or even Veterans Day in November. In fact, Memorial Day isn't even about the vets you will be seeing in the parades this weekend. No, Memorial Day isn't a day of parties. It is first and foremost a day of reverence. You won't be sharing Memorial Day with the people This day is about. You won't laugh over cheeseburgers and beer and go out on a boat with these veterans, and you won't be able to hear their often way too dark jokes. For some families, this won't be anything new. For others, this will be the first Memorial Day without someone from their family who served at their party. Back in March, James and Jill Frankoski lost their daughter. Casey Frankoski was a UH sixty black Hawk helicopter pilot with the New York's Army National Guard's forty second Combat Aviation Brigade until deploying to patrol the Texas border with first Battalion, two hundred and twenty fourth Aviation Regiment, where she lost her life alongside another pilot, John Gracia, and a border patrol agent.

35:04 I knew Casey since college. We were in the Guard together, though in different units, but our dads, who were also in the Guard were friends. On summers and weekends like this, we would bring our boats up to where the Hudson River meets the Sacondaga. I think I'm pronouncing that correctly. And Hadley, her friends and family, will tell you how obsessed she was with her jet ski. I like to think I started that obsession when I took her for first ride on one. In return, she taught me how to shotgun a beer. In twenty eighteen, Casey deployed to Kuwait, and when I deployed in twenty twenty, she became a very close friend, texting me every single day. She knew what it was like for someone to be so far from home and didn't want anyone to fill alone. Even when you have your unit there with you, and in my case, your family too, it means everything knowing someone back home is still checking in on you on a daily basis. I got the news of Casey's death while driving through a rainstorm, just getting off the Tacoma Parkway.

36:13 My mom called to tell me what she'd heard, and for a long time I just didn't know what to think or how to feel about it. It was both a very matter of fact feeling and a this isn't real feeling. A big part of me felt like I didn't deserve to feel strongly about it, because her family suffering would be so much greater. Who was I but someone that saw her here and there in the summer, but mostly just talked over text. In almost nine years of military service, I've been to many military funerals, but never for anyone I knew personally, much less someone I could call a friend. I didn't know what I was allowed to feel as if any morning I did took away from the families. It felt like there was a finite supply of morning available. And if I said quote I lost a friend, then I was taking away from Casey's parents loss of their daughter. It's not until writing this now that I think I know how to feel.

37:19 Since joining the Guard, I've tried to carry myself with military bearing and inform people on what military service means, whether that's by working as a public affairs non commissioned officer in the forty second Infantry Division, or just simply explaining the difference to people between Veteran's Day and Memorial Day. And every Memorial Day I drive down to DC to watch the Memorial Day show hosted by Gary Smie on the Capitol Building lawn. It's one of the most emotionally moving experiences you will ever have, hearing the stories of fallen friends and family members. This year, I won't be at the show. I'll be hind and maybe my dad, fiance and I will take a boat ride up the Hudson.

38:05 And this summer, Casey won't be taking any rides on that jet ski or shotgunning any White Claws She'll still be there though. This year, for a lot of people, Memorial Day will be about Casey. I'm going to miss her. I do miss her, but I'm going to be thankful. I'm thankful for the time we had, the friendship she gave me. I'm thankful that the country had someone like her fighting for it. We'll celebrate this weekend, but celebrating the time we had with her and with everyone we've lost. You may have heard someone say it's not happy Memorial Day. Well, it's not a party. It's not about welcoming in summer and getting good shopping deals. It's not about you, and it's not about your veteran friends. It's a time to celebrate. Yes, have your burgers, have your beers, take a dip in the pool, but do it in celebration of the lives of those that can't come to your party. Celebrate their memory, keep them alive in your hearts. One of the most well written articles on Memorial Day I have ever laid eyes on from that guy, Shout out to you, sir. Now.

39:16 Ever since that tragic day March eighth of twenty twenty four, the community has come out in support of the friend Coski's and really keeping the memory of Casey alive. In fact, in January of this year, a bridge in her community was named the Casey In Frankoski Memorial Bridge. And even though Casey may no longer be with us physically, she's still making a difference. In addition to the Casey Frankoski Scholarship, which provides financial assistance for active duty military and veteran students that focus on pursuing degrees in public service, there's also a community based fund titled the Casey Frankoski Memorial Fund and that provides community based support. This fund most recently was able to provide a new scoreboard for the local football team and does all kinds of other amazing projects in the name of our hero Casey. And I'm going to do something personally for this particular fund, and it requires all of our help. I'll put the link in the description of this podcast of the Memorial Fund itself.

40:35 Casey Frankoski was gone too soon from this world, and it's hard to not feel robbed. The world just seems not quite as bright without her in it. And I want to thank the Frankoski family for allowing me to get to know Casey, who she was and most importantly, how she left special thanks to Lisa Frankoski, my favorite New Yorker, and my deepest condolences to all the families affected by this tragedy, including the Grisia family, the Luna family, and the Prime family. And I would like to close with this short quote from Ronald Reagan that stuck out to me. Reagan, when speaking on the Challenger shuttle disaster, said this quote, we will never forget them. During the last time we saw them as they prepared for this journey and waved goodbye and slept the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God. We will always remember you, Casey Frankoski. Much love,