NIAGARA COUNTY, N.Y. — Family and friends gathered Wednesday evening for a visitation for Aaron Peters. He is the Niagara County man who died a week ago while handling tree cleanup as a state employee in a state park.
State flags were also at half staff as a tribute as well.
2 On Your Side spoke with his girlfriend about his unique role in the state workforce in a job he seemed very well suited for.
Katie Schank said this about her boyfriend, 32-year-old Aaron Peters: "He really enjoyed being out in nature."
That observation may have reflected what guided Peters into his specialized position with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation as a "sawyer," or part of a crew that uses chain saws to cut down damaged trees and removes tree debris from state parks.
Much like some New York State Department of Environmental Conservation video depicts, it can be very difficult and dangerous work. But crews are specially trained even with something called the Game of Logging, and Peters had additional job skills that he applied at work, even on cliffs near public access scenic overlooks, such as the one at Devil's Hole State Park near Niagara Falls.
"Rope access. They would rappel down the side and clear away all the brush," Schank said, adding, "When I met him, that was his thing. He was just, 'I like cutting trees, and I love working outside'. And so parks just seemed like the best fit for him."
Tragically last Wednesday, Peters was fatally injured while working with a tree removal crew at the Golden Hills State Park on the shoreline of Lake Ontario in Niagara County.
Schank said Peters was well aware of the risks but proud of his work for the public parks.
"You always have to worry when you do jobs like that," Schank said. "You always have to be cautious because you never know. But he loved it ... that is the thrill of it. Like with that overlook, being able to clear it and everybody getting such a nice view."
Peters enjoyed hiking and fishing with Schank and his young daughter, Adeline, especially in Allegany and Letchworth state parks.
He was also a talented musician — a singer and guitarist with local bands — and a big Green Bay Packers football fan who also rooted for the Bills.
Schank says he was normally a quiet guy but "if he knew you, he was the sweetest, kindest."
While his parents also worked for the state parks department, that agency said no one was available to speak to us about their employee, Aaron Peters. But Gov. Kathy Hochul said his death should remind the public that state employees do sometimes put themselves in harm's way on the job to improve safety for the public and their colleagues.