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ANGEL FLIGHT CENTRAL CELEBRATES 10,000TH MISSION

 

KANSAS CITY, MO. –On Sunday, October 21, when AFC Volunteer Pilot Michael Freeborn, Chicago, IL, provided an Angel Flight mission to AFC Passenger 12-year-old Tara and her family, he had no idea that he was participating in an historic event -- Angel Flight Central’s 10,000th mission.  Even though it may not make the history books along with the Wright Brothers or Charles Lindbergh, this event is deeply meaningful to those who have established and grown charitable aviation in the Midwest to help thousands of children and adults each year.  

“Of course, it's always a good feeling to help someone else in need. But being a part of Angel Flight Central means being part of something even bigger than any of us could accomplish on our own,”  said AFC Volunteer Pilot Michael Freeborn. “To play a role in the 10,000th mission meant this flight to me in particular was off the charts.”

From the first to 10,000th mission, AFC has helped people face all sorts of challenges from cancer to rare “one-of-a-kind” diseases to many other hardships.  This 10,000th “angel flight” was provided for Tara of Kirksey, KY, who must travel to the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, for treatment of epileptic seizures.  AFC Volunteer Pilot Michael Freeborn generously provided the connecting flight both to and from Rochester through Kansas City, Missouri.  Freeborn has flown over 60 Angel Flight Central missions and is one of approximately 1,000 AFC Volunteer Pilots throughout the Midwest.

Since its inception, AFC has flown nearly 5 million charitable miles and helped thousands of people like Tara access specialized medical care or for other compassionate reasons.  In most Angel Flight missions, personal financial and insurance resources are insufficient to cover the transportation costs associated with the crisis.  According to Christel Gollnick, AFC Executive Director and CEO, the arrival of the 10,000th Angel Flight mission only reinforces the belief that the need for charitable aviation is real and growing.

“Over the last few years, Angel Fight Central’s Volunteer Pilots have gone from flying one mission a day to over five missions a day,” said Christel Gollnick, AFC Executive Director and CEO.  “Not only has it been an honor to be a part of that rapid growth, but it is exciting and humbling to work with so many generous volunteers and grateful families.”

For many, AFC is literally the difference between life and death.  For AFC passenger Tara, the 10,000th mission meant specialized care at exactly the right time.  “Jana, Tara's Mom, had been noticing that Tara's seizures were becoming a bit more frequent but did not realize the gravity of the situation,”  said AFC Volunteer Pilot Michael Freeborn. “Within an hour of our arrival in Rochester, Tara suffered a grand mal seizure and was taken by ambulance to the emergency room. Thankfully, she was at the right place at the right time to immediately get the best possible treatment.”

About Angel Flight Central

AFC is headquartered in Kansas City, MO and is one of six autonomous members of Air Charity Network, our nation’s largest public benefit flying organization representing approximately 90% of charitable non-emergency medical, compassion and community service flights in the United States.  This major charitable aviation network serves rural and urban communities alike by utilizing small general aviation airports and recruiting general aviation volunteer pilots along with other donated resources.   To learn more about AFC call 1-877-621-7177 or visit www.angelflightcentral.org.

 

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