Hey guys,

I just heard news that we lost Kirk Gray to a heart attack in the past day or so. I'm still stunned by the news and am having trouble writing anything coherent at all. My time with Kirk at the TOC is some of the happiest memories I have in this hobby.

RIP my friend.. you'll be missed.

So sorry to hear this, Kirk was a good friend of mine. I lost contact with Kirk the past couple of years.
Thought and prayers to his family.

This is very sad news.

Kirk helped to get Jenny and I dating back in 1999 at the TOC. I would hear from him time to time on the phone over the last few years. Its been a while since the last call. He was always wanting to get time to come back to hobby that he loved.

Jenny and I went to see him back in 2003 when he had that bad car accident. We were living in Atlanta at the time and spent some time with him up in South Carolina. Kirk was a good man, a good friend and an exceptional pattern pilot. We stopped and saw him a couple times on the trips to and from Mom and Dads' house. Florence S.C. was kinda in between on the trip.

Kirk always went to local events and really inspired many people to fly pattern and to excel at it.

We will miss him.

Troy and Jenny Newman

This is extremely sad new. Some of my fondest memories from the TOC were hanging out with Kirk. He had a fantastic sense of humor. Goes without saying that he was an excellent pilot, he was also someone I considered a good friend pretty much from the moment we met.
Like Doug said, I too am still numb from this news. Hadnt talked to Kirk for a few years, but always hoped for the best for him and I will miss him.

This is very sad news...my father and I where just talking the other day about hoping Kirk would make a comeback. You will be missed in this hobby.

A.C. and Albert Glenn

I live in Myrtle Beach, SC and Kirk as to most of us,......was a good friend and a mentor to me in this hobby. I only wish he would have made it back to the hobby he was so passionate about. He will certianlly be miss!!!!!!!!

Bill Holsten
Dist2/FAI

I never met Kirk, but he was certainly an inspiration to a lot of people. He wasn't that old was he? Wow, that is sad news.

10s Kirk, all 10s.

-Mike

He was 40. Way too young and a stark reminder to take care of my own health since I'm 40 as well.

I was devastated to hear this as well. Russell Reel and I both lived in Florence before moving to Atlanta and Kirk was a legend in that area. He was such a nice guy and a true ambassador for pattern and the hobby in general. He always hooked us up with pit passes at the TOC and we were so proud that a local boy had done so well for himself. Kirk, you will be missed my friend.

I hate to hear this. Kirk was a great friend. Lost touch in the past few years. I was pitted next to him at the '98 TOC and it was a great time. I didn't think I could laugh that hard in the pits while the TOC was going on. Spend many Team Trials with him. Great memories!

He will be greatly missed,

Rick

I was very sad to hear this. Kirk was about as helpful and friendly a person as I have ever met. I used to go to a lot of contests in D2 when my brother lived in Raleigh. I won my first contest at his home field in Latta a few years back. What I always remembered was how helpful Kirk was. He would take time to trim your plane or anything else if he could help. He even called for me one contest in Sportsman (now intermediate) and I will never forget that. Kirk was the first of the upper level FAI guys that I ever really got to know and I definitely think he had a big influence on me. No matter what was going on, he had a smile on his face and made you laugh. His smile and personality were hard to beat.

Arch

I was at the 99 Nats with him. All of the D2 guys were sitting back and having a good time. The judges politely told us to shut up because were a bit too loud....

I interacted with Kirk for probably 2 minitues at the Nats a while back. He was all of what you all have said and then some.

Thoughts and prayers to his loved ones.

Mike Dorna

Sad indeed. I will to remember the Kirk we knew at the NATS also.
Bless his family.

I didn´t have the chance to met Mr. Gray, just for videos and magazines. I think that this couple of pictures are a good way to remember him, with a smile in his face and an aerobatis plane.

1- T.O.C. 2002
2- F3A WC Pensacola 99 with USA team members Jason Shulman and Chip Hyde

R.I.P.