Honoring Animal Advocate & Hang Gliding Trailblazer Arthur Simoneau, Who Tragically Lost His Life In The LA Fires

A powerful tribute is being planned to honor Arthur Simoneau, a hang-gliding pioneer and devoted advocate for animals and the environment, who tragically lost his life fighting the Palisades Fire. Friends, family, and his partner, Lisa Levinson, are organizing a heartfelt celebration of his legacy and unwavering dedication to both the skies and the natural world he loved. Hang gliders will scatter Arthur’s ashes whilst performing a flypast in the “missing man” formation to serve as an aerial salute to Arthur’s courage and activism contributions.

“On what would have been Arthur’s 70th birthday, we hope to give him a ‘pilot’s send-off,’ with a hang glider flying over the landing zone at Kagle Canyon in Sylmar to scatter his ashes. It will mark a full-circle moment — where the end of his journey on Earth becomes the start of a new one in the sky, on the same day he was born,” said Levinson, a well-known and loved figure in the emerging field of animal activist support.

The memorial will be the centerpiece of Activist Appreciation Month— a month-long initiative by In Defense of Animals each February to uplift and support those on the frontlines of animal activism.

“Arthur was a pillar of the hang gliding community and had enormous love and respect for nature and animals. He would have expected me to support animal activists through the devastation of the Los Angeles fires, and I’m honored to do so,” continued Levinson.

For Activist Appreciation Month, In Defense of Animals offers presentations on critical animal studies, innovative activist strategies, and healing trauma exposure from animal cruelty with prominent experts in the field. Virtual events include a guided meditation with self-care guru Victoria Moran, author of Age Like a Yogi: A Heavenly Path to a Dazzling Third Act. Two in-person events on February 8th provide opportunities for advocates to feel supported, refreshed, and rejuvenated. Access the full program HERE! 

“We know activists are busy every day around the world taking action for animals in a multitude of ways, and we want to take time to recognize their efforts and offer support to help them continue this often challenging and heartbreaking journey,” said Lisa Levinson, Campaigns Director for In Defense of Animals. “Activist Appreciation Month is dedicated to their hard work and spreading awareness about ways we can all help.”

In Defense of Animals will also spotlight incredible activists on social media throughout the month for their tireless dedication and efforts to help animals. This includes those who have achieved historic wins, such as Bujinlkham Erdenebat, who helped pass the first animal rights law in Mongolia, and Altamush Saeed, who hosted the first animal rights conference in Pakistan.

Content courtesy of In Defense of Animals. Help them continue fighting for animals, people, and the environment by making a donation HERE!