Sask. father of 2, avid outdoorsman mourned after fatal plane crash in Alberta
Online tributes have come pouring in for a Saskatchewan husband and father, who was also known as an avid outdoorsman, in the wake of his death in a plane crash in Alberta on Tuesday afternoon.
Jason Peterson, 43, was a well-known face to those in the hunting community, producing and hosting a hunting show called Into the Wild and through his work as an outfitter. His adventures took him around the world, but also to remote and rugged Saskatchewan locations.
"He should be one of your legends," said Gus Congemi, the New York-based host of the show Live the Wild Life TV.
"He had a real love of Saskatchewan, and hunting some of these remote places that people have never been to, exploring and just making it accessible to other people."
Others called him a charismatic and knowledgeable outdoorsman, ready to offer hunting advice and tips. Congemi said it was that real, genuine nature that people appreciated.
"I think that's what people connected with. They could see that, you could sense it. When Jason shook your hand and told you he was going to do something, he did it."
'Great outdoorsman, great family man'
Congemi met Peterson at a trade show a few years ago. Both men knew of each other's work and hit it off right away, with Congemi saying he immediately appreciated Peterson's humility, his passion for the outdoors and his immense love for his family.
Both also shared the view of hunting as not a matter of just killing animals but something more, said Congemi.
"We both felt the same way about this — the adventure, the travel, being on your own, seeing places that nobody's ever been to before," he said. "That's the stuff that intrigued me about Jason."
Peterson invited Congemi to come to northern Saskatchewan and hunt in remote areas. The two shared their first adventure a couple of years ago, getting dropped off in a float plane in northern Saskatchewan, and spending the next 10 days scouting, hunting and fishing.
Peterson had his pilot's licence and flew planes in order to get out to camps and also to get back to see his family, which included his wife, Terri, his daughter, Baylie, and his son, Cole.
On Tuesday, Peterson's ultralight plane crashed east of Grande Prairie, Alta., a city in the province's northwest. The RCMP confirmed that Peterson, the sole occupant of the plane, had died.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is currently investigating the incident.
Congemi said he was left in shock when he heard the news of Peterson's death through a mutual acquaintance.
He said he'd talked to Peterson just a few days before the accident, with the two making more plans to have further adventures this year.
"Great outdoorsman, great family man and a great friend, and I'm really going to miss him."
A message posted to Facebook from Terri Peterson and the family thanked everyone for the "outpouring of support over the loss of our loving husband, father and friend Jason. He would be so proud."
The family will be holding a celebration of life for Peterson in Warman, Sask., on Aug. 9.
