Petition seeks to name Pilot Butte Trail after fallen Bend Marine

(Update: Adding video, details)

Pfc. Jack Ostrovsky, 20, died during training accident off Calif. coast last week

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Thursday marked one week since the tragic death of 20-year-old Pfc. Jack Ryan Ostrovsky, a Bend Marine among nine people -- eight Marines and a sailor -- who died during a routine training exercise off the coast of Southern California.

Now, one of Ostrovsky's friends is seeking to honor his memory with a petition to have the trail up Bend's landmark Pilot Butte named the Jack Ryan Ostrovsky Trail.

Zach Saltos, a 19-year-old from Washington, D.C., created the petition on Tuesday. Saltos told NewsChannel 21 Thursday he and Ostrovsky met through a mutual friend, and would Skype once a week for about two years.

"When someone that young passes, and a friend on top of that, it doesn't -- you don't think that it's real," Saltos said Thursday.

Even though they've never met in person, Saltos said Ostrovsky was an inspiration.

"He really exemplified what it meant to be thankful for the sacrifice of our service members," Saltos said.

On Memorial Day of last year, Ostrovsky hiked up Pilot Butte Trail with combat gear and ammo containers, in the memory of fallen service members, and shared a few photos on his Facebook page.

Saltos said he hopes that same trail can be named after Ostrovsky, who took the trip up the butte to honor the same group of fallen service members he is now a part of.

"I feel like he's a tremendous inspiration, and he's the epitome of what it is to be a prideful American and being thankful for those who perished in whatever circumstances in our armed forces," Saltos said.

The petition has garnered more than 700 signatures in just two days.

Saltos plans on sending it to Lisa Sumption, director of Oregon Parks and Recreation, hoping it will show how many people want to keep Ostrovsky's memory alive.

There's one obstacle Saltos may not be able to get past, however. The trail is already named after Bob Bristol, a former Bend mayor.

That won't stop Saltos from trying.

"It is my hope that when people hike up that same trail and they see his name, they go in and find out who he was and there is like -- 'Okay, this guy was a true American and a true patriot.'"

Ostrovsky moved to Bend from Bellingham, Washington in 2018. He would have celebrated his 21st birthday with his twin brother later this month.