Brad Sexton
by Jeremy Sutton (2015)
Pigment Ink Print and Acrylic on Canvas
42″ w x 36” h
I first met Brad when I was working in the San Francisco Bay Area (at Varian in Palo Alto) for the summer of 1982 while studying Physics at Oxford. Brad kindly put me up in his basement in Menlo Park and the main image of him playing the trumpet is based on a photo I took that summer. Brad loved playing the trumpet and loved jazz. Amongst his favorite jazz musicians was Artie Shaw. That’s why you see in the background the sheet music of Begin the Beguine, a 1934 popular song written by Cole Porter and made famous when performed by Artie Shaw and his band. When I returned to live in California in 1988 I rekindled my friendship with Brad, by then a professional pilot. Tragically he died on December 14th, 1994, when the Learjet he and fellow pilot Richard Anderson were flying for a National Air Guard training mission crashed on E. Olive Avenue, Fresno, after narrowly missing the Ewing Elementary School. Within this painting is a map of the Fresno area airspace and the plaque in his and his colleague’s honor that was installed in the Ewing Elementary School. This painting was included in an art show in Fresno and while installing the show, which was my first visit to Fresno, I visited the crash site and the Ewing Elementary School. I was surprised to meet two teachers at the school, Dawn and Kim, who had been at the school the day of the crash. Both are still grateful of the efforts Brad and Richard made that day to avoid hitting the school. It was very moving to meet them and for them to see this portrait.
Meeting with Dawn and Kim outside the Anderson-Sexton Library, named after pilots Brad and Richard, where the memorial plaque is located.
1 Comment
Sariah Gonzalez
December 15, 2024December 14, 1994
I remember that day clearly,
I get emotional just thinking about it.
And I I will never forget it.
I was 8 years old at the time , Second grade.
I was out in the playground for recess with all the other classes that day, I was playing basketball with my friends and I heard a loud screeching noise coming from a distance in the sky and immediately noticed the plane in the sky with smoke coming out from it , and then it began to lower from the altitude that it was, and I started to get really scared and I told my friends “ look at that plane it looks like it is coming our way!!! It’s going to crash!! It’s going to crash! “ I shouted.
At this point everyone out there could hear it and see it and we all were running around towards different Directions some towards the grass some towards their teachers some in complete shock standing still on the blacktop and shortly after the big plane flies right over us, it was soo loud .
I remember being able to see details from underneath the plane that’s how close it was to us, I really thought it was going to crash on us , we all did , Few students even braced themselves , others lifted there arms up trying to touch it as it flew over us ,
then it proceeded it’s direction towards olive and chestnut and it lowered its altitude some more and a few seconds later we heard a really loud crash then super loud screeching then an extremely loud explosion, it happened really fast we then seen a great amount of smoke in the air!
And we were all in shock and afraid!
After realizing what had just happened Everyone was screaming and began to panic , the teachers were trying to gather everyone it was chaotic! Teachers Gathered the students went to class and I remember parents immediately being informed through the news and school , kids were crying in class, parents rushing to the school , sirens coming from all directions and traffic everywhere! It was something you could only imagine happening in a movie, unfortunately it wasn’t a movie , it was 100% real.
It was a terrifying day,
I think about it often, actually .
A lot of lives could have been lost that day had those pilots not done what they had to do to prevent crashing down on Ewing Elementary school.
A sad tragic day.
Thank you for your ultimate act of heroism.
Richard Anderson and Brad Sexton.
May you both Rest In Peace.
We will forever be grateful and remember you.
♥️
✈️🏫