CHELSEA, MI — If their son Captain Joel Gentz was alive to see it, he would have been humbled that a new trailhead at a Chelsea park was dedicated in his honor, his parents Judy and Steve Gentz said.

Gentz lost his life in 2010 at the age of 25 when he and four other U.S. Air Force soldiers were killed in Afghanistan in a helicopter crash after being shot by the Taliban. He and his team were assisting a wounded British soldier.

He was a Combat Rescue Officer with the 58th Rescue Squadron, which conducts rescue missions, and about six weeks into his first deployment. He was promoted to Captain from Lieutenant after his death.

He was made the namesake of a Border to Border trailhead at TimberTown Park in Chelsea during a Sept. 30 ceremony. Even with all of his accomplishments, he would st

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