Eleven month old Aubrey does. Her angels all wear aviation headsets.

 

When Aubrey was born her mom, Andrea, knew that something just wasn’t quite right with her new little bundle of joy. After extensive internet research Andrea, a nurse, suspected Aubrey’s misshapen head and severe neck tilting down and to the right was Plagiocephaly and Torticollis. Her pediatrician confirmed both conditions.

 

The good news was that both were treatable but required early intervention and weekly medical treatment. The pediatric physical therapist who works with Aubrey for the Torticollis is located in Tallahassee, only 90 miles away from Aubrey’s home in the Florida panhandle. The cranial treatment specialists however, are located in Miami, 600 miles away. Weekly visits are needed to monitor Aubrey’s use of a Doc Band to help reshape her head into a normal shape. That required a two day trip or expensive flight for Andrea and Aubrey and child care for Aubrey’s three sisters.

 

After weeks of driving to Miami, Andrea, her 12 year old car and finances were exhausted. She again turned to the internet to research travel options. That’s when Andrea found Aubrey’s Angels …. Angel Flight Southeast, headquartered in Leesburg, FL.

 

Angel Flight Southeast is an IRS 501(c)(3) organization of more than 650 volunteer pilots who utilize their own aircraft, fuel and time to provide free air transportation to medical facilities for citizens who are financially distressed or otherwise unable to travel on public transportation. Angel Flight Southeast also coordinates missions to fly organ transplant candidates, people involved in clinical trials, chemotherapy or other repetitive treatment, victims of abuse seeking relocation, families receiving help from Ronald McDonald Houses, Shriners’ Hospitals and many other charities, disabled or sick children to special summer camp programs, and for many other humanitarian reasons. Angel Flight Southeast and its group of all volunteer pilots fly over 1,500 missions per year.

 

Andrea said “The Angel Flight staff could not have been more helpful when I called to ask for assistance. The lead Care Traffic Controller, Kathy, immediately put me at ease. It was obvious she loved her job and wanted to help Aubrey.”

 

Andrea explained that the volunteer pilots were committed to making her weekly trip to Miami a “day” trip. Her trips involved 4 sections or legs each trip. One leg is from Bonifay or surrounding airport to Leesburg, Leesburg to Miami, Miami to Leesburg and Leesburg to Bonifay. That one day commitment means most pilots leave their homes before daylight. Some as early as 5 am to fly to Bonifay. Andrea is lucky that her small rural town, located 55 miles north of Panama City Beach, has a fixed base operation.

 

“Aubrey’s Angels have gone above and beyond the call of duty to meet our needs” said Andrea. “We have been blessed by their dedication and compassion.”

 

 

David, a retired businessman, is Aubrey’s primary angel. He treats Aubrey like she is his own Great Granddaughter. David flies many of the Leesburg to Miami and Miami to Leesburg legs. Dave doesn’t hesitate to beg and cajole his friends and fellow pilots when another volunteer is needed to help complete Andrea’s flight plan. Dave happily drives Andrea from the Miami International Airport to the Cranial Technology office. Andrea treats him to lunch at Arby’s each week as a token of her appreciation and affection. Dave coos and talks to Aubrey throughout the lunch. Andrea is not sure who enjoys the visits more. It seems to be a draw.

 

David is just one of the growing band of Angels that have helped Aubrey achieve her remarkable progress. There was a mother and son team, Clare (an experienced corporate pilot) and Robert who were nervous to tell me this was their first Angel Flight, until after they delivered her to Leesburg.

 

Aubrey was also the first Angel Flight client flown by Jack, a business owner in Bonifay.

 

Then there are Dave & Ann, who live on a lake, fly a Moonie and Lake plane. They’ve flown Aubrey three times. They also volunteer their time in the Young Eagles program.

 

Bob, a retired flight instructor from Leesburg (a neighbor of Dave’s) has flown Aubrey several times. Both Bob and Dave live in a “fly in” community in Ocala.

 

Steve, a construction company owner from Orlando, sent Aubrey a photographic memento of her trip. Then there’s Bob #2, a pilot from Panama City and retired business owner. He graciously mailed Andrea a package with item left behind after a trip.

 

Mary, an entrepreneur from Panama City, learned that Andrea had to drive over an hour to the Panama City airport and offered to fly to Bonifay on their second trip together to eliminate some of Andrea’s time away from her other 3 girls.

 

Andrea said the Angel Flight Southeast staff works tirelessly to help ensure her flights are booked each week. Not long ago one of the pilots had a last minute issue with this plane and could not fly. Steve Purello, the CEO of Angel Flight stepped in and left his home at 5 am to fly to Bonifay to pick up Aubrey and Andrea. Aubrey was pleased to see Steve’s black Lab, Mitsy, on the plane. The 4-legged angel also had her own set of aviation ear defenders.

 

Andrea is thankful for all of those who have helped make Aubrey’s medical treatment possible. “It would have been impossible for Aubrey to have attended her weekly treatments in Miami without the generosity of Angel Flights Southeast and their pilots. It is overwhelming when you realize how much each pilot donates to help the Angel Flight clients. The pilots donate their time, planes, maintenance and gas. And, on occasion they donate the expense of an overnight hotel stay in order to get their client to their medical appointment on time.”

 

Aubrey’s medical treatments will be drawing to an end within the next few months. Her doctors are thrilled with her progress and expect her to be at her developmental norm by the time she is fifteen months old. This includes full range of motion in her neck with normal vision and balance and a symmetrically shaped head.

 

Aubrey won’t remember first hand all of her Angels but Mom Andrea will tell her the stories of all of those that helped her as she grows up.

 

“There is no way I could pay them back for their contributions. My goal is to help increase awareness to Angel Flight Southeast so others in my circumstances will know this wonderful organization exists. My mother and I hope to help with community outreach, letting social service organizations in NW Florida know that Angel Flight is actively recruiting volunteer pilots to help them reach the grown demand for their services. And, we hope to find grants or donations to help offset the pilots’ gas expenses.”