How One Veteran Is Supporting Fellow Service Members July 15, 2023 Each year, Angel Flight West (AFW) partners with the White Heart Foundation (WHF) to fly veterans to the Guardian Project, a therapeutic outdoor experience for post-9/11 veterans. Your donation towards our summer fundraiser helps us arrange missions for veterans, ensuring those who have served can access the resources they need. Corporal Jed Morgan, the foundation’s camp creator and director, h… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Challenges Won’t Stop Campers From a Fantastic Summer July 6, 2023 Year after year our team has the privilege of witnessing the transformative power of summer camp season. We see the power these therapeutic programs have for young burn survivors, for children with life-threatening or life-altering illnesses, and for kids with a variety of needs and backgrounds. For many youngsters, camps are a summer sanctuary — a place where they can forget any troubles and make summer memories… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Four Siblings Fly to Deaf Camp with Volunteer Pilots June 5, 2023 A father of two small children, volunteer pilot Ori Zaitzman appreciates that his AFW missions can be tailored to fit his busy life. Last summer he flew two young brothers, Jaxon and Jaden, to Lions Wilderness Deaf Camp — a haven where deaf and hard-of-hearing children learn outdoor skills and form invaluable friendships. “I asked the passengers’ family if they wanted me to bring my puppy,” Ori said. “They wer… Jessica Hayes Read More »
General Aviation Saves Lives: Volunteer Pilot Flies First Angel Flight May 26, 2023 As an Angel Flight West passenger for the past five years, Joan is somewhat of a pro at boarding and flying to care in small planes. “I live in Las Vegas,” she says. “I had intestinal troubles beginning in 2014. Now, every three months, I travel to see my Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN), Vascular and GI specialists at UCLA.” Knowing that paying for transportation to her medical care wasn’t feasible long-term, one of he… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Born With Bilateral Anophtalmia, Little Girl Loves to Fly May 22, 2023 For Heaven Wright, a single mother, finding a community of support has always been essential. Her two-year-old daughter, Monroe, was born without eyes — and the Wrights’ hometown of Las Vegas offers limited resources in optometry. “Monroe has hydrogels,” Heaven says, “which go in place of eyeballs and have prosthetic shells over them. We found a doctor in Utah who was the only doctor able to do those.” Now, Heaven an… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Jeff Moorhouse May 19, 2023 About ten years ago, as he set off for yet another work conference in Northern California, Jeff Moorhouse decided to sidestep commercial air travel and instead fly with a fellow financial advisor — a retired naval aviator who had his own Cessna 182. For Jeff, that experience proved to be life-changing. “I was hooked,” he said. “A few weeks later, I was taking my first flight lesson.” Now, Jeff isn’t just flying himself… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Introducing AFW’s New Director of Outreach May 1, 2023 We’re thrilled to share that Russell Stearns has joined Angel Flight West (AFW) as our Director of Outreach! Russell holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from California State University. As Director of Outreach with AFW, Russell oversees strategic planning and initiatives related to volunteer recruitment and healthcare collaborations. Russell is excited to be part of the organizatio… Jessica Hayes Read More »
From Cheri’s Desk: Spotlight on an Angel May 1, 2023 Tiffany S. was born in 1993 and a mere six days later she was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Tiffany’s condition was manageable for many years, but when she was 17, she was listed for a double-lung transplant. Tiffany received that surgery the same year and before she was 18, she had two new lungs – and a new lease on life. However, five years later, Tiffany’s body began to reject the orga… Cheri Cimmarrusti Read More »
The Sky’s the Limit for Elias: Flights to Post-Transplant Care April 25, 2023 Each Angel Flight West passenger holds a special place in our hearts – and that includes the committed companions who accompany patients on their journey. A third of our missions are for minors traveling long distances to treatment, and it’s an honor to help lighten the load for the parents and caregivers flying by their side. As a single parent and foster mom in Spokane Valley, WA, Heidi began fostering… Jessica Hayes Read More »
April 2023 Safety Report April 12, 2023 Pleasant greetings to all. I feel immensely privileged to be able to address you all and it is a position that I will never take lightly. The process of Threat and Error Management is one of my favorite subjects in Aviation Safety. It is applicable to absolutely every kind of flying and it is indeed filled with jargon and terminology, that while necessary, it may overwhelm the reader and take away from its goal: ens… Safety Officers Read More »
Meet AFW’s New Safety Officers April 12, 2023 Meet Alexios: My name is Alexi Stavropoulos and I am deeply honored to be serving as AFW’s Safety Officer along with Bruce Poulton. I am grateful to own a Cirrus SR22T. Without a doubt, my favorite flying activity in my Cirrus is to fly for AFW when my work schedule and weather permits. Both have been a challenge as of late. Otherwise, I love staying in the pattern, humbling myself! And of course, flying with my family.… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Volunteers Give Patients an Extra Bit of Light and Hope March 28, 2023 Four months ago, amid raising five children between the ages of nine and sixteen, Margo received the shocking diagnosis of breast cancer. “From one moment to the next, anything can turn on a dime,” she says. “You think of nothing but getting better and getting to and from appointments.” But getting to care would prove to take more time and travel than expected. Margo’s best option for treatment was hundreds of m… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Meet the Honorees: Volunteer Pilots to be Recognized at Endeavor Awards March 24, 2023 Stephen and Joanna Bobko-Hillenaar of Angel Flight West (AFW) have been selected to be honored at the 2023 Endeavor Awards. Selected by the public and event committee, recipients of the award are recognized for their personal contribution and commitment to charitable flying by volunteering their time, resources, and aircraft to help others. Stephen and Joanna Bobko-Hillenaar of Angel Flight West “We… Jessica Hayes Read More »
When Medical Care is States Away March 14, 2023 Jen had just made the big decision to accept a new position in Southern Oregon when another life-altering event crossed her path. “I found out I had Stage 1 ovarian cancer,” says Jen. “It was a huge shock. It doesn’t run in my family. And not to mention, I was in the middle of moving from Colorado to Oregon for my new job, so everything was already expensive.” As with most career transitions, Jen had a lapse in her employer-o… Jessica Hayes Read More »
From Flights to Friendships: Meet Teylor February 22, 2023 Teylor was 18 years old and opening a food truck at a local fair in Bedford, WY with two other teens when the unimaginable happened. As soon as the grill was lit, the propane exploded, filling the inside of the trailer with flames. Teylor was life-flighted to University of Utah, suffering second- and third-degree burns to 49% of her body. Her parents Shawn and Stephanie quickly drove the four hours to Salt Lake City to… Jessica Hayes Read More »
