Pilot who died in plane crash wrote his own heartbreaking obituary revealing his previous brushes with death

Gary Wolfelt, a 72-year-old pilot from Ohio, Indiana, lost his life in a tragic plane crash on May 5, but in a twist both emotional and deeply personal, he had already written his own obituary.

With a blend of honesty, humour, and reflection, Gary used his final message to look back on a life filled with near-death experiences and moments that shaped him into the man he was.

His obituary, which was published just a few days after his death, opened with a sentence that made readers pause and smile: “Hello. I am Gary. I am completely dead now. I am surprised that it took this long to happen.” That sentence alone set the tone for the rest of the piece  a mix of dark humour and heartfelt truth.

Gary admitted he had dodged death many times. One story from his childhood stood out  he wrote about playing Little League baseball and being hit in the forehead by a ball he couldn’t see because the sun was in his eyes. While it didn’t kill him, he jokingly added that it didn’t help his team much since they still lost badly, 20 to 0.

In his twenties, he was kicked in the stomach by his sister’s horse. He explained that if the kick had landed any higher, it might have stopped his heart. If it had been any lower, he joked, he might have been left singing in a much higher voice. In his thirties, Gary got hit by a car while crossing the street against the traffic light. He admitted it was his fault but said he walked home with just a sore body and a torn coat.

Even in his later years, the danger didn’t stop. In his seventies, he battled prostate cancer. Although doctors caught it early and tried treatment, it didn’t work, so he had surgery to remove his prostate. But then, complications followed — an internal leak nearly cost him his life.

Gary wasn’t only focused on the close calls. He also reflected on the kind of man he tried to be. He said he was sorry if he ever offended anyone and admitted he was far from perfect. But he was proud of what mattered most to him  he stayed faithful to his wife Esther for over 40 years. He wrote about how he hoped that, if there really is life after death, he would be reunited with her and all their dogs in a beautiful, sunny field with music in the air.

He ended his obituary in a simple, touching way: “Goodbye and Peace. I am hanging up now.”

Gary Wolfelt’s life ended in the same plane he had spent over a decade building, but he left behind a memory that reached far beyond tragedy. Through his final words, he reminded everyone to laugh a little, reflect on the past, and cherish the people you love — while you still can.