‘This Is Our Home And We Are Your Team’ – Candlelight Vigil Says Goodbye To Fallen Blue Angel (With Gallery)

June 10, 2016

Lt. Matt Suyderhoud, who flies in the Number 2 jet for Blue Angels, fought back tears Thursday night as Pensacola gathered for a candlelight vigil to remember Capt. Jeff Kuss.

“While it is right and just to mourn the loss of our comrade, it is also right to celebrate his life and legacy, a legacy that lives on in his wife and two children,” Suyderhoud said. “And certainly in our hearts as we garner strength from his memory to rise from the ashes of this tragedy.”

“In losing Jeff, we gain a guardian angel,  a wing man,  a wing man that will always be there. And we gain an ever strengthening bond between this community and our team,” he said, supported by the crowd as be became overwhelmed with emotion. “That inspiration and that bond will be foundation for our future.”

“The time to mourn is now, but when that time is over, when that time is right, we will be back in the skies of this great nation. We will fly like warriors. We will not be scared, because we’ll have Jeff on one wing, and we have this city on the other. But before we do that, before we get in the skies again, we will be in the skies of Pensacola because this is our home  and we are your team. God Bless Jeff. God Bless Pensacola. God Bless America,” said Suyderhoud.

Thousands gathered at the Veterans Memorial downtown to honor Kuss, who died June 2 when his Number 6 Blue Angel jet crashed in Smyrna, TN. He was 32-years old, married with two young children.

The crowd lit candles and stood in silence for six minutes to honor Kuss. Many cried as bagpipers played the Navy and Marine fights songs, and a bugler played Taps.

Kuss will be buried Saturday during a private ceremony is his hometown of Durango, CO.

For a photo gallery, click here.

NorthEScambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.

Comments

2 Responses to “‘This Is Our Home And We Are Your Team’ – Candlelight Vigil Says Goodbye To Fallen Blue Angel (With Gallery)”

  1. Molino, FL resident on June 10th, 2016 8:01 am

    So very sad. Praying for his wife and children and the rest of the Blue Angels.

    Captain Kuss went from being a “Blue” angel to a “White” angel living in heaven and being the wing man for the rest of the Blues.

  2. Terry Yelvington on June 10th, 2016 6:01 am

    Fly high, Angel Kuss. You will never be forgotten. ~Semper Fidelis~

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News