Prince Harry made a solo appearance in honor of a first responder.
On Friday, Sept. 20, while attending the One805Live Fall Concert in Carpinteria, California, the Duke of Sussex praised Santa Barbara County air support pilot Loren Courtney. The event, hosted by legendary actor Kevin Costner, aims to raise money for first responders in Santa Barbara County.
"As you've probably heard already, 22 years [of] military service over 10,000 hours and rarely sees his family because he's always here flying helicopters," Prince Harry said after taking the charity stage to honor the evening's first responder of the hour. "Why do you still do what you do?"
According to People, the first responder explained that he loves his job, and considers a career of service "a rewarding experience."
"It's a rewarding experience whenever we go out —either putting out fires or rescuing somebody in the back country or medical evacuations from vehicle accidents or doing the law patrol—keeping citizens safe," Courtney said.
The event was filled with celebrities, including Pink and Dallas Green who reunited to perform as the duo You and Me, as well as Kenny Loggins, Joe Bonamassa, Alan Parsons, Al Stewart, and Richard Marx.
Markle, who according to People attended the event last year alongside her husband, was notably absent at this year's festivities. According to reports, the Duchess of Sussex had to miss out due to an undisclosed illness.
Despite Markle's absence, Prince Harry shared a memorable, touching moment on stage with the Courtney, highlighting
"an experience or a story that stands out" for the first responder over his many years of service.
It was then that the pilot, according to People, "recalled an experience when he was doing search and rescue in Colorado and helped rescue a group of skiers who had gone off a 30-foot embankment." It took Courtney five attempts to save one gentleman in particular, who he explained had suffered a severe head injury.
"I learned in the military, you never leave anybody behind. We got him out. He spent almost a year in intensive care and then rehab, and now he's walking, he got married. He actually went to the top of the Grand Tetons and, and proposed to his girlfriend after the accident," Courtney added.
"You are one of the many heroes here tonight," Prince Harry responded. "There are people here tonight who are alive because of you and who are back to their families because of you...from everybody here, thank you so much."
