A hero pilot who left his family behind in New Zealand to fight bush fires in Australia was left to die on the road after being struck by a hit-and-run driver.
Helicopter pilot and water bomber Ian Pullen, 44, was struck by a car on Saturday morning in Glenridding, 200 kilometres north of Sydney.
Pullen - a father-of-three who was set to celebrate his 24th wedding anniversary on Monday - was crossing the road when he was hit at speed.
Police are now searching for the hit-and-run driver who failed to stop after the collision.
![Ian Pullen's widow will now be organising the retrieval of her husband's body instead of celebrating their 24th wedding anniversary.](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/S42TKXWQCA6MHMI4L47AXTGLLU.png?auth=8e53df4721c734590d9f242e92aa44b24cd99ef16cae20402e7a8ea091e5d490&width=16&height=9&quality=70&smart=true)