One Special Young Eagle

[Jamie]

My EAA chapter (690, KLZU - Lawrenceville, GA) is quite active in the EAA's Young Eagles program. I really enjoy participating in this program because I can remember back when I was a kid bumming around the airport and wishing that *anyone* would give me a ride. I understand that many folks don't like to participate in Young Eagles because of liability concerns and I respect that. However for me personally I feel that it is worth the liability exposure to enrich the life of a child.

This weekend was our regular monthly Young Eagles day. My wife and I showed up early. My wife helps check the kids in while trying to keep tabs on our little 16 month old running around the chapter hangar.

It always amazes me the variety of kids you get to meet and for at least a few moments I get to experience a little taste of what teachers must feel. Some of the kids are dreadfully quiet. This is usually the boys who are trying to maintain some sort of "cool" persona. I honestly enjoy flying the girls more because they will usually tell you exactly what they think and they're not afraid to crack a smile from time to time.

This weekend I flew my first kid of the day (quiet 13 year old boy) and after landing one of our ground crew volunteers came out with my next YE. He whispered in my ear "This one's special. His father's in the hospital so they put him ahead of everyone else so he can get back over there". The boy was 10 and was there with his grandfather, an elderly Iranian immigrant with a smile that seemed to stretch wider than his face. I extended my hand to his grandfather and he grasped my hand with both of his and said "thanks so much for doing this, it means so much to my grandson. His father is in the hospital and is very sick".

I put my booster cushions in for the young man, helped him up onto the wing and into the seat. I showed him how the five point harnesses worked and while I was standing on the wing gave him my standard briefing.

I jumped in, started up, radioed ground and started the taxi out to runway 7. I asked "What hospital is your father in".

"Gwinnett" he said.

"Ok, we'll fly over the hospital on the way back, ok?"

His eyes lit up in sort of a "You can do do that?" expression.

"So, why is your father in the hospital?" I asked.

"He's got cancer. He's gonna die soon."

I was of course floored and my heart sunk.

We took off, and as with all my Young Eagles I asked him what type of music he liked. He said "Heavy Metal". Hmm...ok....he's 10 but that's fine. I asked him if he liked Metallica and he said "yeah, they're ok for an old band". I laughed and turned the XM radio to the all Metallica channel.

I took this Young Man over Lake Lanier and showed him all of the boats. There was some sort of gathering of small sail boats going on and we flew over them and wagged our wings at them. About this time he started talking...and talking....and talking....and talking... He had a video camera and was narrating the whole flight. I felt sorry for him because I knew that he would never hear the audio on his video.

After several laps around the lake I slowed to Va and let him fly a little bit. He did fine, even though he could just barely see over the glareshield. I was videoing him flying and guarding the stick at the same time. He had a huge smile on his face and couldn't believe I was letting him fly my airplane. Now it was time to head back to the airport. He was *still* narrating his video so I made use of the ISO button on my intercom to call the tower. I called them and asked if I could get a couple of 360s over the hospital before heading inbound (Gwinnett Medical Center is about 3.5 miles off the approach end of 7 which was in use).

I unmuted the official flight narrator and told him we were heading to the hospital. We proceeded inbound and made a couple of right 360s overhead.

"Do you think my Dad can hear the airplane?"

"I'm sure he can"

Back on the ground, this little boy's grandfather was again there with the smile still on his face. He whispered to me, "His father will probably pass this morning and we wanted to just get him out of the hospital and out of the house. Thank you so much".

For me that's the beauty of flight. For 30 minutes that kid's father wasn't sick and dying and instead this boy was having the time of his life with an airplane ride from a stranger.

Magic carpet indeed.

[KentuckyMike]

Jamie,

What a story. I would have replied earlier but I had to get my emotions back in check. Thanks for sharing. You need to send that story to Michelle Kunes - Young Eagles Program Administrator - mkunes@EAA.org
She is always looking for great stories like that to publish.

Our local EAA Chapter 657 in Vine Grove Kentucky (70KY) also participates in Young Eagle flights monthly from April thru October. Like you, I enjoy seeing the kids face light up when they get to fly. It is great feeling to share with them.

[JDRhodes]

Gosh, Jamie, thanks for sharing.

You never know when you might reset a kid's whole life going forward with one of these rides.

[RV7Guy]

What a great story for many reasons. I'm still wiping tears from my keyboard.

[pierre smith]

....touching so tenderly another human's life! Kudos Jamie.

Regards,

[aerhed]

Big, massive, black ink entry into the Karma book. You get two extra heavenly flight levels. One for doing it and one for being there to do it. Bravo dude.

[wingtime]

for sharing such a wonderful story. You and that little boy will never forget that flight. Now I have to go tell everyone I got something in my eyes. LOL

[DeltaRomeo]

Jamie....hats off to you, friend.

Great job,
d

[bkilby]

Thanks a lot.. now I'm sitting here at work crying like a school girl.

[RBD]

Awesome write up. Thanks for sharing.