Ten years ago, on the 4th of July, Amber Brown and her mother stood atop a mountain in the LaPlatas, waiting for a flyby that would never come. The vintage P-51 mustang crashed shortly after takeoff, claiming the life of her father, Mike, who was a certified flight instructor, and the student pilot, who was also the owner of the plane. 

This year, in her father's memory, and in honor of his love for flying, Amber took to the skies for her first flight lesson and saw the sun rise over the LaPlatas from above. 

It was an honor to get to capture this emotional journey for her from both the ground and from the sky.

 The plane: Cessna 172 owned by Greg's Flying Service

Flight Instructor: Mike Erwin

Ground coverage: Aspen McCarthy

Aerial coverage: Dennis McCarthy