So I was cleaning up my computer and found some old videos (see videos posted on Facebook) of Fitts mastering his craft with a long-line, which he was awesome at, and always willing to help teach others, including myself. I remember the first time he let me practice long-line he jumped out on the mesa above the old airport and said " ok bring me the hook and don't screw this up".  After I laid the hook down next to him he signaled me to lift and go around again. As I started to lift, I glanced down and noticed josh was still hanging on to the hook, LOL.  So I proceeded to give him a ride and I wish I had this video instead to share it was halarious. I remember him letting go at somewhere between 10 or 15 ft AGL and thinking this guy is extreme!  Sure miss all the good times we shared and know where ever you are you're still having fun. RIP Brother

You always pushed me to be my best. I know I wouldn't be who I am without you kicking me in the butt all the time. Back when we were dating you , let's just say lacked in the manners department... When we would go skiing you would pretty much leave me in the dust! We would arrive to a double black diamond and without hesitation you would go... I would have the fear of getting lost so I would grit my teeth and follow! There were times I would be scaling cliffs trying to get down and you would be at the bottom saying " sorry babe.. Didn't realize it would be this hard"... But once I did make it by your side your were always proud and cheering me on. Once  we got to go to Sundance on a total powder day.. And after the frustration of locking our keys in the car with our gear inside and you thought the  " pow pow" day (as you called it )was ruined... We were on the lift and realized  they had just opened the upper bowl and we would be one of the first to arrive. You  were giddy  like a kid on Christmas morning. We got off and you went for Wildflower .. An easy run for you but with knee high powder you knew I would be challenged. You " bombed" that hill and left me to fend for myself.. Once again not paying attention to the  whole run in itself  but gritting my teeth and going over the edge. One turn after the other I tackled the  hill with no falls or " yard sales " .  I  could hear you cheering as I got closer and when I was by your side you were ecstatic with my performance!  Look at your perfect "s" patterns!! That was awesome!!!! You were very proud and I was worn out. We got to the lift and I colapsed. I told you two do a couple runs so I could recover . 

You made me stronger. As I am faced with this challenge without you... The rocky terrains and being left in the dust... I know your sorry for this path I'm on and didn't want it to be so hard.... But Im Putting my head down and gritting my teeth... I know you are cheering me on... And when I stand by your side.. You will be ecstatic and be so proud. 

Can't wait to be in your arms. Forever Tangled Up in You... Love you more

Lara

Can I just tell you how thankful I am that I made Jeff take a week off that summer.  So many times he would tell me "no, I have to work" but for some reason he just didn't say it this time.  I think it's helped with our pain this past year. Knowing we had so much time to be with you, and just to truly be ourselves.  Let the world go for a little bit and enjoy our moment. 

I should call that summer the summer of water. Because when I think about meeting up with you and Lara we ended up around the water. Water fights, water park, and the Springville water pad.  

1st of all the water pad:  it was my 1st day in town and I was so excited to see you and Lara.  You brought Aubry and your mom with you. It was so much fun. I see you hanging out on the lawn with your big smile. Your chatting away making everyone happy.  I'm glad I made the time. I'm glad you did too. 

Provo Pool: seriously could you and Jeff be any bigger kids going down those slides? You boys left me and Lara to chill while we set back and watched you run to the tip to do the slide races down again and again. But then you let us join in and Lara and I went down together and then we all took the kids. It was so fun. You scared the crap out of Teague.  And it was so funny to see that.  You and Jeff jumping off the rock jump was such a great time. You 2 are so funny.  Love you both so much.

My favorite memory of the summer was the water fight up at Lara's mom's house. You were relentless! It started out with just me and Lara in the house coloring my hair. And we hear Cal getting pounded by your water balloons.  After a while I had to step in and save my son!  You and Jeff on a team, and Cal and me on one.  What started out as a water balloon fight turned into stilling each other's water hoses and turning off each other's water supply.  I like to think Cal grew-up a little more that day.  You didn't go easy on him. And because of that he wanted his sweet revenge on you. As Cal went for his one last water balloon shoved down the neck of your now stretched out tshirt neck of your shirt I saw your face of shock and finally giving up and giving to him to let him have his sweet revenge. Plus you didn't want too put up too much of a fight at the end because you knew if you moved the tshirt was getting stretched out a lot more. And also since the legendary water fight outside had moved inside to the kitchen. I Don't think we could have made a mess in Debbie's kitchen that we both didn't want to clean up.  Way to hold still.

Oh I loved that summer.  I loved that you took extra time so say good bye to us as we pulled away to head back to California. You were always good at saying your goodbye's.  Can't wait to see what your Hello will be like.  But we know it will be good. Everything you do was just amazing. We love you. And I miss you, even though I know your here still watching out for us, can wait to see you again!

Xoxox

Sarah 

I worked with Josh for the last 7+ years. He was always so full of laughter, energy, jokes, I could go on and on. He was one of my very best friends especially in the past year or two. He always knew the right things to say to when I was in a bad mood at work. His contagious laugh, his jokes, and his personality is what I truely miss. His love for Lara and his babies was always so inspiring for me. He definitely knew what was most important in life and family was his #1 priority. I will never forget his obcession with the smell of new magazines, new hats, new shoes, new or old anything... he had to smell it. I miss him bringing Teague & Reece to the airport. Teague became my little buddy and I was told once he named a cracker after me :) Josh always called me his little sis and I truely felt at times he really was one of my big brothers. One story that sticks out in my head is when we were in Hawaii working the summer of 2012. I was driving the rental car home one night from dinner, Josh sat in front while Dana sat in back. As I was driving, all of a sudden Josh threw his hand in front of my nose and BUTTERCUPPED me.... I was so mad but at the same time I couldn't stop laughing because my own brothers haven't done anything like that to me before. Again Josh's contagious laugh made everything (even a buttercup) funny and ok. I find myself reading back through all the texts I received from Josh. And it's so heartbreaking to see them stop... I am so grateful for all the good memories. I will forever cherish our friendship. Miss You! Love your "lil sis" Roby      

Early last summer I received a text from Josh asking our friend Shane and I if we wanted to go on a helicopter ride. Of course, I told him yes and met him at the airport. Josh was excited to show us where he worked and the helicopters that he often flew. He showed us the helicopter that we were going to ride in and how to use the head set so we could talk to each other. I had never been on a helicopter ride before so I was extremely excited and a little nervous. When we got into the air he showed us his flying skills, how the helicopter worked, and told us stories about his helicopter adventures. He took us over Zion, Sand Hollow, and my house. We also went looking for mountain goats, but we didn’t have any success finding one. It was so much fun. I could see why Josh loved to fly so much. Now every time I ride in a helicopter or even see one for that matter I think of him. Brook and I miss you so much. We are grateful and so lucky to call you our friend and to have gotten to know you. I will miss our times we had together, but I will cherish the memories that we made. I miss you buddy!

-Russell

Lara is my older sister's best friend, so I remember Josh and Lara hanging out at my house a lot when I was youger. One time Josh was over at the house and I was telling the story of how I failed my driving test. I was telling them that it had to be because I was in my dad's HUGE truck because that was the only car we had that was automatic. I said the truck is the reason I ran off the road on the tiny driving course, hit all the cones while parallel parking, and the list went on and on. Josh said, "well, next time you take it you can use my 4 Runner, it is automatic." "Really," I said. No one just offers up their car, let alone to a 16 year old that just told a story of how horrible they failed their driving test. I couldn't believe he was so brave and nice to let me use his car.

When the time came that I could re-take my test I remember Josh coming to my house and picking me up and taking me to the DMV. I did so much better in his 4 Runner and I ended up passing the test. I remember Josh taking a nap in the back seat of his car while he waited for me to get my picture taken and get my drivers license. He even let me drive back home. The day a 16 year old gets their license is one you don't forget.

Looking back now I know he must of had other things he had to be doing that day, but he took the time to help me out and do me a favor. That is just who Josh was. He would go the extra mile to help a person and he would do it just to do it and never expected anything in return. 
One of my favorit quotes, and I don't know who said it is, "You get to know the character of a person in how they treat other people that can do nothing for them."

Josh had great character and he showed this time and time again. He was always doing stuff for other people just to help them out. I am so glad to have this as one of my many memories of Josh. He was so kind and always doing kind acts for others. That is how you truly live on forever in the hearts of others with the great memories they hold of you. I know Josh lives on in so many others because of the great life he lived. 

Well choosing a story has made for an emotional day, Josh was a lot of fun and I have a lot of great memories of going boating, the last time I went skiing (I think Lara and Josh felt like I needed to get away for a day, which I did) and golfing.  My story is of the time he and I played in a baseball league together.  He and I went down to the club to practice, and I was catching for him.  So we get done and we were going to leave and he challenges me to hit a fast ball from him.  He says if I can hit it, he will buy me dinner.  Well the only cage available now was a really short cage they used more for soft toss.  He tells me to let him throw a couple and then hop in.  A normal distance from mound to plate is 60' 6" and this cage was more like 40 or 45 feet.  So he fires a couple across the plate and the balls hit the heavy rubber mat hanging behind the plate in front of the net with this huge boom, the sound was deafning and the ball was just a blurr.  Now everyone is starring at us and he says "hop in".  I am thinking "oh hell no", but I didn't want to look like a sissy.  So I got in and prayed that he didn't miss fire, because there is no way I was getting out of the way in time.  The first two pitches went by me so fast I didn't even have time to start my swing.  He was laughing, he said "dude, at this distance that ball is going by you the same way a 105mph fastball would".  Third pitch I actually nicked the ball, he was so happy, he said that was good enough to get dinner.  Then he said "one more, lets see if you can get it".  So he fired the ball in and I actually hit it, pretty sure my eyes were closed, and all I did was swing as hard as I could just as he let go of the ball.  There is a good chance he hit my bat, rather than me hit the ball.  What a feeling though, I was using a wood bat, and for someone who has always loved baseball and always wondered what it would be like to really crank a big league fastball with a wood bat.  It was a the best feeling in the world.  That ball exploded off my bat, a memory and feeling I will never forget.  It was really cool, he kept telling me "I cant believe you hit it", I was thinking "nobody is more surprised than me".  Who else could have given that to me.  Well Josh, I think we all know I will never think anyone is good enough for my sister.  That is just the way it is, and of course it is nothing personal.  I have to say though, I couldn't have asked for a better husband to her than you were.  You made a huge difference in my families life, and we will always be grateful to you.  We miss you so much.  Life will never be the same.

This is a typical Josh story!!!


Josh had just started working for A Flight Above.  He was an instrument instructor and I had been instructing for a couple of years at the time. Josh was going to finish up my instrument and instrument instructor training. One of the requierments was a long cross country flight and i needed to go to Salt Lake to renew my flight instructor certificate, perfect timing!! 

Lets go Josh. Where??? SLC. What do you mean?? I need to renew my instructor certificate and get my long instrument cross country done. Did you file a flight plan and choose what approaches we are performing?? Umm I didnt know i needed to, cant we just go? I wish i could insert that little chuckle / laugh he does. You need to plan the cross country and file it so we can open it and meet the requierments of the cross country. Man that will take for ever! Can we just go and do it on the way?? Chuckle / Laugh again. Your right it will take you forever to plan it properly, lets go.


We flew from SGU to SLC at 10,000 MSL. Really boring.. I have goggels on so that i can only see the instruments and Josh is instructing me and watching for other traffic. About an hour and half into the flight he is guiding me through some procedures and yawning at the same time.. We are just about to get the busy airspace and I am getting nervous about work load that is coming up. He just keeps talking and walks me right through all the airspace and we pick up the approach to Ogden airport. I messed the approach up so bad that i had Josh take control of the heli so i could watch it done right.

We eat lunch, take a break, watch the fighter jets from Hill. and then jump back in and fly to SLC airport. We finsh up at SLC airport and start heading home.


This is the part of trip that i will never forget. We are about an hour into the flight home and I am under the goggles again at 10,000. I can tell Josh is pretty bored over there watching me fly straight and level. I say, you should take the controls and we should just fly like helicopters are supposed to the rest of the way home. Im thinking he will never let me out of these googles and make me man up and finish the flight. I was wrong!! Awesome he says and takes the contols.

As im taking the goggles of and get situated Josh is decending down to normal altitudes and happy to be flying.. We are just up there talking like girls and i notice that we are off course. I say we need to turn right a little to get back on course. No we are going over to that lake. What for? I'm going to give you the controls back and your going to hover over the lake and i'm going to jump in, then i will climb on the skid and get back in. Me in my mind think WHAT??? I say you dont even know how deep it is. What if i'm too high or can't get you back out. Come on man it will be awesome. No way man something is going to go wrong. You will be wet the whole way home. Come on man take the controls i'm going to do it. It doesnt look that deep Josh? Ya it might not be deep enough, if you get really close it doesnt have to be that deep. Isnt there a law about jumping out or something. Dont worry it will be fun do you dare me to do it? No No and No.

I had to talk Josh out of this and never let the helicopter get close enough to allow it to happen. Man I thought this guy was a little crazy. In reality he was so outgoing and adventurous that it may have clouded his judgment a little. Im pretty sure the "lake" was a small pond and wasnt very deep. I laughed the whole way home!!


I will always miss the great conversations and positive attitude that Josh always had!! 

Miss ya man!!   


                     

I loved hanging out with Josh! He was my best fiend.  It didn't matter what we did it was always a good time...Some many stories to share about so many good times!!!

I had the chance to take Josh to work with me last year on New Years Eve. The first thing Josh said when he got in my patrol car was "let go arrest somebody!"   He cracked me up even more when he asked if he should have brought a gun...I told him there was plenty in my car if he really needed one. It turned out to be an uneventfull night, but we had a good time just haning out and talking.

Some of the funnest memories with Josh is going to Sand Hollow. I remember Josh and I riding the tube with Traycen Shamo. We were getting pulled by Chris Shamo and he was whiping us around like crazy! The only thing I could hear over the roar of the boat and splashing water was Josh laughing! I miss that laugh....

One of the funnier moments Josh and I had was when we took Teague and my kids to the City Pool by ourselves. What a sight... two grown men just kick'n it in the Kiddy Pool with all the other mini van driving moms. We were there for a couple of hours and never thought anything of it. I laugh everytime I think about this....
 
Josh and I spent a lot of time at Crossfit together. This is where our friendship began.  I could alway count on Josh to give me that extra effort on days I wasn't feeling it. On those days it was "go big or go home,"  "don't be a sissy" or "balls to the wall, bro." I know there were some days that none of us wanted to go work out, but I know we would go just so we could hang out and enjoy eachothers company.

I loved how Josh was alway down to do anything....I wanted to get Harley's all that Josh said is "lets do it!" I don't know how many times we called or text eachother over a two months period about bikes we found on KSL or Craigs list.... I think Lara and Maile were both a little annoyed at the two of us.  I wished we had the chance to get our Harley's...That would have been a Good Time!

Josh you are my best friend and brother and I miss you every day. I'm a so greatful for the friendship we shared and all the "Good Times" we had!

"So long my friend until we meet again. I'll remember you and all the times that we used to..." (Luke Bryan) 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRO!!!

Joe.... 

First off, I always felt lucky to call Josh my friend.  He was a great guy who I could always count on for anything.  I loved his honesty and integrity in any situation.  I have many experiences with Josh from snowmobiling, skiing, wakeboarding, and hiking.  We always seemed to be doing something together.   I never really just "hung out" with Josh.  Most of our experiences involved daring each other to go bigger or faster until we were both too scared to attempt the next step.

This memory is proof that I have become more and more of a wuss since reaching adulthood . . .

The year was 1996; it was the end of January, a warmer January than usual.  The Fitts Bayliner was still winterized, but Josh and I came up with a plan to meet our desires: the waverunner.  Sure, it meant that both driver and skiier were guaranteed to be wet (and cold), but we were anxious to get out and ski!  And if you're wondering who was there to hold the ski flag, stop your worrying.  We were the only ones getting in the water that day.

While we unhitched the waverunner, a couple older fishermen were loading up to go home for the afternoon.  One fisherman volunteered that the fish were biting along the bank across from the marina.  I replied that we were there to waterski, not fish.  

"Have you touched the water, son?" the man asked. 

"No, I have not," I replied.

"I stuck my hand in there, and almost froze the damn thing off!" he warned.  

"We'll be alright," Josh hollered as he fired up the waverunner.  The fisherman was still shaking his head when I drove up the ramp to park the car (I think it was a Forerunner).   

We each took a few turns skiing that day.  I recall that Josh had on his old shorty wetsuit.  At the end of the day, my skin was bright pink from being in the frigid water.  We couldn't feel our hands, our faces were numb. It was perfect!  

. . .

I wish I would have been in closer contact with Josh the last several years.  I remember calling him from the College World Series a few years back and learning he had become a dad. My dad, Josh, and I had gone to the College World Series for our senior trip in '97.  We were coming off of a State championship and would be headed to college in different towns.  The future was ours for the taking . . .  

Josh's death came as a slap to the face for allowing the busy aspects of life to get in the way of staying in touch with my friend.  I deeply regret that.  Josh was a wonderful friend.  I am grateful to him and his family for always treating me as one of their own.

- T. Pullins  

One story that really sticks out in my mind about Josh was at Crossfit,  I had just got there and was warming up to get ready for the WOD.  I was rolling out on the foam roller and Josh had just finished his work out and he was holding Reece, he walked over to me and we were talking, Josh was really pale and did not look good at all.  I asked him if he was ok? and he said no he felt like passing out. I immediately told Josh to put down Reece and to lay on the floor and we put his feet up.  He did not look good, but the color came back into his face pretty quick after he had his feet up for about 5 or so minutes.

  But that was Josh,  he always worked out 110% and was always cheering others on and complimenting them on there accomplishements.  I have known Josh, Lara, Teague, and Reece since January and have been so blessed to have them in my life.  There love for each other and there family has been a blessing for me.  WE NEED TO SAY I LOVE YOU WHENEVER WE THINK IT BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE OUR LAST.  Love you Josh..... until we meet again

The story that always pops in my head about Josh is the day I first referred to him being my brother-in-law.  I am married to Lara's brother Troy.  We happened to go boating with them before they got married.  As we were riding on the boat, I turned to Josh and told him that he was going to be my Brother-In-Law.

The shock on his face was priceless!  I couldn't tell if he was upset about it, or that he had never thought about his family instantly growing the moment he said "I do". I think we had to explain to him what that meant!   That look is seared into my memory.

Josh embraced us.  He was great to Troy, me, and my kids.  My kids think that Josh is SO COOL!  So glad to call you family.  -Kjristina

Josh was my brother... when I was younger, I sometimes hated him. :o)  You know, younger sister harrassment.  But he was always very protective of me and that is how I always knew he loved me growing up.  Josh got married, had children and grew more than anyone I know.  His kids changed his life and his outlook on life.  He was an amazing father and husband... and it's one of the many things I have always admired about him.  I was always envious of his relationship with Lara.  You could just see how much they loved eachother.  He was a rock in the family... having him gone will very much leave a giant gaping hole.  But I know he would want us to find a way to turn this trajedy into making us stronger people somehow... so Josh I will do all I can to accomplish that.  We will always love and miss you so much!