The wife of the late Flight Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah has paid an emotional tribute to her husband and the seven other victims of the August 6, 2025, military helicopter crash, saying the pain of losing them remains as deep today as it was a year ago.

Speaking on behalf of her family at the National Inter-Faith Memorial Service held at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) on Thursday, August 6, she described the past 12 months as a difficult period marked by grief, reflection and healing.

She said the tragedy had left an irreplaceable void in the family, noting that they had lost not only a husband, son and brother, but also someone whose optimism and warmth brought joy to everyone around him.

"We stand here today with hearts that still remember, still mourn and still honour the life of our beloved husband, son and brother, Flight Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.

"Today, we stand 12 months removed from a tragedy that still feels painfully near. A day that completely altered our lives as a family.

"I, for one, have never known a person more optimistic than Ernest. You could hardly remain sad around him. He would crack jokes and laugh at them more than you would. And before long, you would find yourself smiling and forgetting the burden that had troubled you."

She said the family had drawn strength from the support of friends, colleagues and well-wishers throughout the past year.

She also expressed gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama for honouring the memory of the victims and supporting the bereaved families, as well as to the Ghana Armed Forces for its continued care and assistance.

"As we honour the memory of the eight fallen heroes, we choose to remember not the tragedy that took them from us, but the lives they lived, the love they had for their families, their dedication to duty and the values they carried with honour," she said, urging Ghanaians to uphold the values of service, sacrifice and compassion exemplified by the deceased.

The memorial service brought together government officials, religious leaders, traditional authorities, members of the Ghana Armed Forces, bereaved families and other dignitaries to commemorate the first anniversary of the crash.

The eight victims died on August 6, 2025, when a Ghana Armed Forces Z-9 helicopter crashed in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region while on an official assignment from Accra. It formed part of activities marking the first anniversary of one of Ghana's worst aviation disasters.