Luke was truly at home in nature and chose a profession that allowed him to be constantly surrounded by it - wildland firefighting. Born in Susanville, CA, on May 2, 1985, Luke grew up as a fearless, adventure-seeking young man and at age 18 he decided to become a firefighter. Luke enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, playing guitar, snowmobiling, fishing, riding his motorcycle and hunting. His ultimate dream was realized in 2009 when he joined the elite crew of California's Region 5 Smokejumpers in Redding. In June 2013, while fighting the Saddle Back Fire in the Southern Warner Wilderness, he was struck and killed by a falling piece of timber