Russ Francis pets his dog Buddy at the Lake Placid Airport in August. Francis died in a plane crash at the airport on Sunday. (Enterprise photo — Sydney Emerson)

LAKE PLACID — Russ Francis grew up wanting to fly, and he spent his life in the sky.

Francis died in a plane crash at the Lake Placid Airport on Sunday along with the senior vice president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Richard McSpadden. He was 70.

“To Russ, flying was like breathing … it came naturally and he lived for it,” Kate Naiman wrote on Facebook. She and Francis had a son together. “I think everything that Russ did was that so he could fly.”

Nearly everything he did in life was in service of getting more air time — from sleeping in a cot in the back of a hangar, to joining the NFL as a tight end for the New England Patriots and later the San Francisco 49ers.

“He used to fly his P-51 Mustang to practice and land in the stadium parking lot and really piss off (49ers head coach) Bill Walsh,” Naiman recalled.

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First flight

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Francis recalled clearly his first day in flight to Lake Placid News reporter Sydney Emerson on Aug. 23, a month before his death. The day was Aug. 19, 1974. Growing up in Hawaii, he was fascinated by the colorful birds taking wing there — what he called “perfect pilots.”

On that day in 1974 he was persistent. Between classes, he walked 8 miles from the University of Oregon campus to the Eugene airport, walked in and found some old timers willing to take him up in a plane for free.

The time Francis spent on the ground was merely the moments between the time he spent in the air. He flew three times a day — once after working the graveyard shift at a lumber mill, again after feeding cattle on his family ranch, going to veterinary classes and washing cars at his second job, then again after his classes.

Francis slept on a cot in the back of a hangar and washed, parked and refueled plans as payment for his instruction.

In addition to his athletics career, flying charter service and air ambulance allowed him to work in the air.

“I got to see this great country,” he said in August.

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NFL

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Francis joined the NFL to fund his flying habit as a first-round draft pick. He ended up with a 1985 Super Bowl ring and three selections to the Pro Bowl.

Naiman said Francis was a “natural athlete.”

He set the national high school record for the javelin in 1971 at Pleasant Hill High School in Eugene, Oregon, with a throw of 259 feet and 9 inches. That record would go unbroken for 17 years. He participated in Olympic trials for javelin, placed fourth and just missed the Olympic Games.

He started playing college football with the University of Oregon’s Oregon Ducks to have his expensive veterinary science textbooks paid for. At the time, he didn’t even know what a tight end is.

He was drafted as both a pitcher for the Kansas City Royals in the 1974 Major League Baseball draft and as a third-string tight end for the New England Patriots in 1975. He went the football route.

Injuries among the starting players put him in the spotlight that season.

He was selected for the Pro Bowl during three consecutive seasons — 1977, 1978 and 1979 — and sat out the 1981 NFL season before playing six years with the San Francisco 49ers. It was with the 49ers that he would earn a Super Bowl ring in 1985. He retired in 1989 with 393 receptions and 5,262 receiving yards over his career.

When he was designated All-Pro, sports broadcaster and Francis’ friend Howard Cosell said he was “All-World.” That phrase stuck with Francis throughout his life, Naiman said. But he was a humble man at heart.

“He was very attentive to whomever he was speaking with. He always had time for someone who would stop and ask for an autograph,” Naiman said.

“Russ Francis was a Super Bowl champion and selected to the Pro Bowl three times but never defined his life by his play on the field alone,” Chief NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement. “He pursued numerous passions following his football career and is remembered fondly throughout the sports world. We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of all those impacted by the tragic accident.”

Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft said the whole franchise was mourning the loss of Francis.

“Russ was a fan favorite throughout his playing career,” Kraft said in a statement. “He was a dynamic player on the field who had an even bigger personality off it. He knew no boundaries, pushed the limits and lived his life to the fullest. Our thoughts are with Russ’s family, friends, teammates and the many Patriots fans who mourn his loss.”

WWE also extended its condolences to Francis’ family, friends and fans. Francis was a competitor in the 20-man Battle Royal at WrestleMania 2.

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Flying and family

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Francis had countless careers and hobbies — NFL tight end, skydiver, sports broadcaster, pro wrestler, surfer, air ambulance pilot and politician. But it was flying and family that were the two constants.

Francis and Naiman had a son together. They separated long ago but have stayed close.

“We met in Hawaii in the old days,” Naiman said.

She moved to the islands in 1978 and they were introduced through a mutual friend.

“We were casual hangout friends for quite a while … and then we were more than friends,” she said.

They have a son, Michael, who is now 40. Francis also had two daughters — Rachel, 33, and Riley, 28.

“He worshiped the ground the kids walked on,” Naiman said.

As did his kids for him. Telling Michael of his death was incredibly hard for her.

“As a mom, you never expect to have to tell your child their hero is gone,” she said.

She said he always told Michael to do what he wanted in life, to weigh the consequences and be safe. Francis was “larger than life” and a “daredevil.”

“He was just fearless,” she said, “but cautious.”

“There will be some comfort down the road in knowing that he died doing the thing he loved most, but not today. Not today,” Naiman wrote on Facebook.

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Lake Placid

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The Lake Placid Airport is owned by the town of North Elba.

Francis, along with co-owner Rives Potts, purchased the Lake Placid Airways scenic flight company at the airport from Steve Short in July.

“Russ Francis and I became close friends right away,” North Elba Town Supervisor Derek Doty wrote in a text to the Enterprise. “His energy was infectious and was so excited to be an integral part of our community. A terrible tragedy. I will delay any further comments until after consoling his family.”

In August, Francis said he bought the business because he wanted to make flying his job, and to live in the Adirondacks.

“We came up here and took a look and, basically, like hundreds of thousands of other people each year, we fell in love with the place,” Francis said.

He had said he wanted to give pilots the most enjoying flying experience possible at the airport, making improvements without overdeveloping it. He saw overdevelopment happen to a small airport in his native Hawaii, and didn’t want to repeat that.

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Aloha

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One of the most common words among those mourning Francis’ life has been “Aloha,” the Hawaiian word of love and fellowship used as a greeting or in parting.

Naiman signed off with some Hawaiian sayings for Russ.

“A Hui Hou,” which means “until we meet again.”

“Me Ke Aloha Pumehana,” or “love you very much … forever.”

There are a lot of people who love him, she said — siblings, children, partners, friends, Hawaiians, fans and Jaxie, his girlfriend.

“She was absolutely the love of his life,” Naiman said. “My heart breaks for her.”

In August, Francis told the Lake Placid News he was almost finished writing his memoir, “Purely by Coincidence.” He said the title came because that’s how everything in his life happened, and it had become a bit of his philosophy.

“People talk about destiny and fate,” he said. “No, it was purely by coincidence.”

Naiman said Francis “worked his ass off” to follow all the paths he did, but agreed, luck played a role.

“He was doing exactly what he wanted to do in life. That’s pretty lucky,” she said.

To read more about the crash go to https://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/news/local-news/2023/10/hard-roll-to-the-left/

To read more about McSpadden’s life go to https://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/news/local-news/2023/10/aviation-community-mourns-pilot-who-spent-life-educating-aviators-on-safety/