SAN ANTONIO – A beloved inventor died Friday after a jet engine fell on him at Port San Antonio.
David Monroe, 72, was described as a prolific inventor and driven entrepreneur by the San Antonio Museum of Science and Technology (SAMSAT).
In a joint statement, Lorena Monroe and the SAMSAT team said David Monroe’s contribution to the digital age “has been felt all over the world.”
Their full statement reads:
“David Monroe was a prolific inventor, a driven entrepreneur, and a man with a heart for technology’s impact on the lives of adults and children. His contribution to the digital age has been felt all over the world.
“His final chapter was bringing this impact to all corners of San Antonio. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and colleagues at SAMSAT and beyond.
“On behalf of Lorena Monroe and the SAMSAT team we want to thank you for the outpouring of support, and we appreciate you for respecting our privacy as we process David’s passing and legacy.”
On Saturday, Port San Antonio said in a Facebook post that Monroe was a “force for good who transformed countless lives he touched.”
Below is the full statement Port San Antonio released:
“Our Port community is deeply saddened by the loss of David Monroe. David was a force for good who transformed countless lives he touched.
“To the Port team, he was a friend and partner who inspired us and, through his beloved SAMSAT and museum team, worked hand in hand in a shared vision to make the world a better place.
“To tens of thousands of people—youngsters and adults alike—he was a tireless leader deeply committed to providing opportunities to lifelong learning. He sparked people’s imagination, encouraged their curiosity, and presented innovative and exciting ways to acquire new knowledge and prepare for big futures ahead.
“His profile loomed large in our community and across the world for his many accomplishments in the advancement of transformative technologies.
“Most of all, we remember him for his constant positive energy, his good humor and ever-humble nature. He led by example and saw the good in every person and the world around him as a place of endless possibilities.
“David was an inspiration to us all. We miss him greatly.”
Background
San Antonio police and firefighters responded around 4 p.m. Friday to the 3300 block of General Hudnell Drive on the Southwest Side, at the back of the Boeing Center at Tech Port.
Monroe was transporting a jet engine with a coworker in the loading dock of the venue, a police sergeant at the scene told KSAT.
Monroe went to reach for something when the dolly carrying the jet engine began to roll, police said. The engine hit him, causing both to fall off the four-foot-tall dock.
The engine fell on top of Monroe, and he was dead when first responders arrived.
The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office said Saturday that Monroe died from blunt force injuries. His death was ruled an accident.
Police described it as a “workplace accident” and estimated the jet engine to be over 5,000 pounds.
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