Riverside County

‘I'm Shocked': E-Z Up Inventor, Beloved Pilot Killed in Riverside County Helicopter Crash

Two men who died after a helicopter crash in Riverside County have been identified.

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There is new information about the two Murrieta men who were killed last Friday in a helicopter crash in Riverside County.

One of the men was the inventor of the E-Z UP instant shelter, that is a Norco-based company. The other man was a beloved humanitarian who was also a popular mountain bike rider.

"You don't meet very many people in life so gifted and so passionate about life and making the most out of every single day," said Kevin Heidorn, who was a longtime friend of the two

But according to Heidorn, that's exactly how Foster lived his life. Judging by Foster's pictures on Instagram, it was a life well-lived.

"Whether it was skiing or snowboarding or mountain bikes," Heidorn said. "He [Foster] was a helicopter pilot so everyday he was getting the most out of life I felt like."

Heidorn says his 62-year-old friend was a successful engineer who loved to fly but most importantly he loved to help people.

There is video that Foster put on social media of him and his good friend Mark Carter, as they carried much needed medical supplies by chopper to local hospitals during the recent powerful snowstorms that trapped residents in mountain communities.

"Supplies that they needed for surgeries all those kind of Angel flights that were required to get up there," Heidorn said.

According to Angel Flight West, 61-year-old Carter volunteered his time, flying dozens of life-saving missions for the nonprofit by delivering organs.

At the age of 21 in 1983, Carter also invented the E-Z UP, an instant shelter that is used by people around the world. After a hot summer enjoying a boat race on the Colorado River, Carter got the idea of having a "portable pop up shelter" that could be easily assembled and taken down. That's how the idea of E-Z UP was born.

E-Z UP's can be found all over at sporting tailgates, flee markets and many other organized events. Some people even use them in their backyards to provide extra shade.

Carter was the company's chairman and founder until his tragic death last Friday. His Bell 407 helicopter crashed in an open area near Perris.

Heidorn says both Carter and Foster were experienced pilots.

"I'm shocked, I mean I looked at some of the crash footage and I just cannot believe how mangled the helicopter is," Heidorn said.

It's unclear exactly why the chopper went down but Heidorn who manufactured rotors for the U.S. military's Apache Helicopter believes it must have been a catastrophic failure of some type. An incident like this left no opportunity for an emergency landing.

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