Hundreds gathered at the Mission Church in Gilbert Monday for the funeral of 28-year-old Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper and paramedic Hunter Bennett.
Bennett was one of two state police killed in a helicopter crash on Feb. 4 while supporting Flagstaff Police.
Throughout the nearly two-hour ceremony, family, friends and law enforcement colleagues described Bennett as an enthusiastic trooper and loving husband.
Jeff Bennett said his son's life was defined by public service and adventure.
“I know that even knowing the final outcome of his mission, the night he died along with Rob, Hunter would have still suited up and headed out to protect the Flagstaff community,” Jeff Bennett said.
Bennett’s widow, Breanna Bennett, read a final love letter to the gathering.
“One of the last memories I have of us was planning your 28th birthday party this month,” Breanna Bennett. “And now I just look around, and it's crazy how many people have loved him and how many lives he's touched.”
Bennett joined the state police in 2022 after graduating from the Arizona Law Enforcement Academy with the top overall marks in his class.
A funeral for 61-year-old DPS pilot Robert Skankey was held Friday in Kingman.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the National Safety Transportation Board.
