Ready to parasail

Our thoughts and prayers are with all of Erik’s family and friends. May he rest in peace.

To the Till family,

There is nothing I can say to lessen the pain about your loss of Erik,  but please know you have my heartfelt condolences at this difficult time.

I did not have the pleasure of knowing him, but his Grandparents Harold and Shirley are amazing human beings, and I can only imagine Erik was as well.

Sincerely,

Cara Majka

Camillus, NY

I am thankful to have taught Erik last fall in Senior Capstone, Aerospace Ethics, and Special Studies. His kind and fun-loving spirit lifted up others. He was a great friend and colleague to his fellow CFIs. My prayers are with your family.  

- April Millaway-Axton, OU Aviation Faculty Member

Donna and I mourn the loss of your son.  We were fortunate to meet him when you visited Prattville awhile ago.  Extremely courteous and talented young man who was taken into our Lords Arms way before any of us were ready.  He will be a guardian angel to some wayward aviator who will need his protection at some point in their career.  Knowing he is in a better place than this earthly world gives little comfort when we grieve, but once we begin to heal, we know God has a purpose for those he takes to Heaven early.  God Bless and keep your family and we pray for your healing and your comfort.  In Christ,

The Jackson’s

Our hearts are broken by the loss of Erik, and we can't begin to express how deeply we feel for you all. It’s hard to accept that someone so full of life, with so much ahead of him, could be gone so suddenly. But even in our grief, we find some solace in knowing that Erik lived with a sense of purpose and a joy that was truly extraordinary. Please know that your family is in our hearts in this time of sorrow.

I had the pleasure of being one of Erik's instructors at OU. He is one of the best pilots I had the opportunity to instruct and share memories with. He was always willing to learn and was extremely humble and kind. I was saddened to hear of the news. I will miss sharing our love for sports, especially Josh Allen. I was looking forward to the opportunity to fly with him again at Southwest.

Destin, FL

Our sincere  hearts go out to you and family. We are so sorry to hear about Erik♥️

My daughter was so lucky to have Erik as an instructor in two aviation courses. He was her Instrument CFI and her Commercial Ground instructor. When she needed someone to write her a letter of recommendation for a couple of scholarships, she turned to Erik because he was familiar with both her flying skills and her classroom skills. He enthusiastically agreed to write her a letter. I still remember the day she received it from him. We were at the kitchen table and she was working on her computer when her mouth dropped open. I asked “What is it?” She said “I just got Erik’s letter.” She let me read it and my eyes teared up. It was the best recommendation letter I had ever read. It was obvious that Erik believed in her and truly cared about her future success. My daughter is very reserved and is “all business” when it comes to aviation. The fact that he could read through her and be so perceptive as to who she is as a person and know her goals and passions just impressed me so much. My daughter never got to tell him the great news that she had won the scholarships or that she had become a CFI too. She had planned to tell him in person when school resumed that she really appreciated everything he had done for her. We are absolutely heartbroken that she lost an amazing role model, that his family and friends lost someone they loved dearly, and the aviation community lost a rising star. 

Kayaking in front of Aunt Jen’s cottage

I am grateful to have spent the time I have with Erik Till. He was a hard-working, determined man who always knew how to have fun. I will forever cherish the memories we have shared from playing pool basketball with the boys to golfing every day after school. We pushed each other to improve at golf, and our matches always came down to the wire. Erik was a man that I looked up to because of his true passion for the things he loved. I will miss my brother Erik and I send my love to the Till family. 

I didn’t know Erik as a friend, but as a teacher, an examiner, and someone the aviation students looked up to. It was clear how much he cared about us and wanted us to succeed; when we struggled, he seemed to share in it too. I remember failing a flight test with him about a year ago, but ironically, I found myself trying not to show too much disappointment because it seemed to hurt him as much as it hurt me. It was then that I realized how much he cared about others. He was an incredible instructor, the kind you’d hope to get and call other students lucky for having. Erik was someone that I and others in our ground school looked up to greatly, and I can only imagine the impact he had on his own flight students and coworkers. He was genuinely one of the kindest and most talented instructors God ever granted me the gift of knowing. I will never forget all he has done for me, and my thoughts and prayers are with all of Erik's sweet friends and family.

"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." Revelation 21:4

We will be forever grateful for Erik's influence on Taylor's life and our family. He will be greatly missed and never forgotten. We deeply mourn this unexplainable loss with each of you--Bruce, Joanie, Abby and Alissa--and all the family and friends who loved Erik.

Grandma and Grandpa’s backyard after the Memorial Day parade in downtown Camillus. — with All the Till cousins

Our entire church in Park City, UT sends prayers of love, strength & condolences to the entire Till family. 

We are all holding you close in our hearts with  love & support. 

JJ & Anita Cummins

My heart aches for your family. Aunt Judy let me know the sweet young boy I remember grew into a fine young man. He lives on in your hearts and minds

We have many fond remembrances of Erik growing up, playing with his friends and enjoying him as a child and young man.  Our family is so glad we had time to know this outstanding person.   I particularly remember how he always won the races and stole bases with ease.  He was so humble and friendly.  We want to offer our condolences to the entire family.  We hope the joy he brought to your lives will stay with you always.