Family, friends remember B-52 crash victim Jeromy Smith as devoted father and volunteer

What began as a routine Monday morning quickly turned into a tragedy for the family of Jeromy Smith, one of eight people killed in a B-52 bomber crash at an Air Force base in central California. Jeromy was a flight test engineer at the base. Jeromy's wife, Lauren Smith, says the day started like any other. "Just routine, he got up and went and grabbed our son's bottle, a milk bottle, put it on the stairs and kissed me goodbye and said, 'Love you, goodbye,'" she recalled. READ MORE | Eight presumably dead in 'unsurvivable' B-52 U.S. Air Force crash after takeoff Lauren says she had no idea those would be the last words she would hear from her husband. After learning that a B-52 bomber had crashed, she spent the day hoping and praying Jeromy was safe. "So I went the whole day just hoping and praying that he was okay," Lauren said. "The crash happened around 11:30 in the morning. I didn't find out that he had passed away until the commander and chaplain came to my door at 6 p.m." The loss is especially devastating for the family because Jeromy leaves behind two young children, including a baby who is just four months old. "He is the father of our two kids. He is a leader. He is a hero," Lauren said. Those who knew Jeromy say his commitment to serving others extended far beyond his military career. READ MORE | Data shows B-52 made sharp turn before crash that killed 8 in California At Camp Rosenbaum, where he volunteered every summer, friends remember him as someone who dedicated his time to helping underprivileged children. Mike Rowe, who was friends with Jeromy for 12 years and worked alongside him at the camp, said serving others was at the center of who he was. "As long as I've known Jeromy, that's all he's wanted to do — to be able to serve other people," Rowe said. Each year, Jeromy would leave his family for a week to volunteer at the camp, helping create positive experiences for children in need. "He drives up every year, leaves his family for a week to come to Camp Rosenbaum and spend a week with these young kids just so that they have a wonderful experience and that they can leave camp knowing that there was at least one person who cared about them that week," Rowe said. As family and friends continue to mourn his loss, they say they will remember Jeromy Smith as a devoted husband and father, a dedicated servicemember, and someone who spent his life caring for others. Gresham Mayor Travis Stovall also chimed in, expressing his sadness in a statement reading: This week our city mourns the loss of Gresham native Jeromy Smith, one of eight brave Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. While the entire country grieves this heartbreaking tragedy, it carries special weight here at home. On behalf of the City of Gresham, we extend our deepest condolences to Jeromy's wife Lauren, his two young sons, family, friends, and all those who loved him. We join a grieving nation in honoring his memory. A GoFundMe account has been created to support Jeromy's family. Flight-tracking data released Tuesday showed the aircraft made a sharp right turn shortly after takeoff and nearly completed a 180-degree turn before plunging to the ground. Data from AirNav Systems indicated the bomber descended at a rate of more than 5,000 feet per minute, nearly 10 times faster than a typical landing descent. Officials cautioned that the limited tracking data does not provide precise altitude or speed information and does not indicate what caused the crash. Military officials have identified all the people who were on board the aircraft at the time of the crash. Those individuals have been identified as: Col. Gregory Watson, 53; Retired Lt. Col. Miles Middleton, 50; Lt. Col. Gabriel Estrella, 40; Maj. Alexander Davis, 34; Maj. Robert Dee, 40; Maj. Brad Hovey, 35; Jeromy Smith, 32; and Christopher Rischar, 41.