By stefan armitage
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A woman has tragically died following a freak accident at an airfield in Derby, Kansas.
Amanda Gallagher, 37, was fatally injured while capturing photographs in an activity she loved.
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The heartbreaking incident occurred at Cook Airfield in the early afternoon of Saturday, October 26, when Gallagher unknowingly backed into a moving airplane propeller.
Reports say she had been distracted while capturing photos at the Air Capital Drop Zone of people getting on and off of planes, per KWCH.
Emergency services rushed to the scene after a distress call was made to Sedgwick County dispatch shortly before 3:00PM.
Despite rapid transport to a local hospital and efforts to save her, Gallagher succumbed to her critical injuries.
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Derby, the largest suburb of Wichita and a tight-knit community, is reeling from the loss. Cook Airfield, where the accident took place, is a well-known local establishment frequented by aviation enthusiasts and families alike.
The airfield’s management expressed their deep sorrow in a post on Facebook, extending their condolences to Gallagher’s grieving family and friends.
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the young lady who died yesterday after a tragic accident with an airplane propeller on Cook Airfield,” the statement read. “I wasn’t there when it happened, so I will not speculate on what could have or should have happened differently.
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“Just please keep her family, her friends and her Air Capital Drop Zone family in your prayers and thoughts.”
In response to the tragedy, Gallagher’s friend, Abbey Charboneau, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist the family with funeral expenses. Charboneau’s tribute reflects the impact Gallagher had on her loved ones, describing her as “kind, adventurous, creative, and beautiful inside and out.”
“She was a loving daughter, sister, aunt and friend and will be greatly missed,” the page description adds. “On October 26th, Amanda passed away in a very sad accident, doing what she loved, skydiving and taking pictures!
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“As her family processes through this tragic accident, they could use your help covering the funeral expenses. Please consider helping them out and also keeping them all in your prayers.”
As of this writing, more than $6,000 has been raised – surpassing half of its $12,000 goal at the time of reporting.
Although an investigation into the incident is ongoing, police believe at this time that Gallagher’s death was simply a tragic accident.
