Former coworker and friend, Bobby Brinson of Air Evac LifeTeam tells of the sadness he and coworkers feel over Amber Lowery’s disappearance and possible death as well as their knowledge of her personality and spirit.
Brinson, base manager of Air Evac, stated that Lowery had worked as a pilot for the company for years, but was most recently based out of Brownwood for approximately a year. During that year, he and coworkers found her to be a very loveable, witty and responsible person that you could always count on.“Mike (her husband) made her appear unstable,” said Brinson. “For the year plus that we all have known her, that wasn’t her.”
He explained that Lowery was never late, never a no-show to work. Brinson also explained that in Air Evac’s business, the medical crew has to be in a stable environment. Each member evaluates the others on a constant basis, as they work in very close quarters and stressful conditions at times.
“Any question of her being able to manage the aircraft, we would have addressed that,” said Brinson. “I never had any complaints from any of the medical crew, or the community.”
Brinson stated that statements Michael Lowery made to the media when Amber was reported missing really upset him and the staff at the Brownwood base.
“Amber deserves better than that. She is a professional in what she does, in addition to work, in being a wife and mother,” Brinson said. “His statements were so far from the truth. She never showed any signs of being unstable. She is a good pilot, an instructor pilot.”
As far as the accusation that he was disappearing for weeks at a time, Brinson stated that that too was far from the truth, as Lowery worked one week on and one week off as a pilot with Air Evac. She could never have just gone off for weeks at a time, as she always showed up for work and on time, he explained.
Amber had last been in contact with her brother Ryan Christensen, according to both Brinson and law enforcement. She had made plans with Christensen to meet their at recently deceased parent home in Bluff Dale, Texas last Wednesday, but she never showed up. Lowery’s parents had been tragically killed in a motor vehicle accident in April of this year. Her father too was an Air Evac pilot and the two had a very close relationship according to Brinson. Lowery is pictured above with her father, Lee Christensen.
According to law enforcement affidavits related to the arrest of Michael Lowery and the search of the Lowery home east of Rising Star, this story was also told to them by Ryan Christensen, who also stated that Amber and Michael Lowery had a very stormy and abusive relationship. She had even told family members that “if she ever became missing without her children, Michael had done something to her,” according to the affidavits.
Brinson stated that Lowery’s work family at Air Evac knew that she had gone through a lot in her family life. “We knew her as a work family and were concerned that she had issues at home with her spouse,” he said. He explained that she had been gone a lot (when working) with her first son, now 5-year-old and that she wanted to stay at home when she was expecting her second son, now 5 months-old. Brinson stated that the crew understood that she might not return to work after the birth of their second son.
“We understood that she wasn’t sure if she would return to work, and she tendered her resignation at the end of her maternity leave,” said Brinson. He stated, “She left on a great standing and would be welcomed back with the company if she had ever wanted her job back.”
He recounted that Lowery would often visit her friends at the Brownwood base whenever she had cause to be in Brownwood, often with the children with her and that all of the crew enjoyed the visits and would of course take turns passing the baby around.
“I want people to know Amber was an awesome person, a valuable member to Air Evac, to the community, to her children and her family,” said Brinson. “No matter how this turns out, obviously we want to her back and healthy, but she deserves better than what was initially said by Mike.”
Relatives have set up an online account to help support the Lowery children. To make a donation, please click here. According to the donation site, “funds raised will go directly to Ryan Christensen (Amber’s brother) for anything needed in support for Amber & her boys.”
