Angel Flight America

Angel Flight America is a national non-​profit network of more than six thousand pilots who volunteer their time and private planes to transport those in need of medical treatment to facilities they otherwise could not reach due to financial limitations. Seven regional groups coordinate with each other to get ambulatory patients as far as necessary, often resulting in a tag-​team relay as passengers are passed off from one pilot to another until they reach their destinations in any one of the fifty states. There is no fee for the service; all expenses are absorbed by the volunteers. For the past several years, my brother — operating out of the Northeast — has been responsible for assisting dozens of needy persons. It has been my pleasure and privilege to accompany him on a few of these usually heart-​breaking journeys that often involve young children stricken with serious or fatal illnesses. The joy on their faces as we begin the ascent of what is sometimes their first flight is payment enough for the service provided. Angel Flight has been helpful especially during times of national emergencies and natural disasters, such as the days following ⁹⁄₁₁ and the assault of Hurricane Katrina. If you know someone with a private plane and a big heart, or an individual who could benefit from this service, please alert him or her to the existence of the organization, or call the toll-​free number or visit the website to make a donation.