Angel MedFlight
Each time a call comes in to our Flight Coordination, we learn about some of the most personal details in a patient’s life within minutes. Angel MedFlight takes this responsibility very seriously, which is why our Flight Coordination is filled with Registered Nurses and Case Managers who are use to handling the most intricate medical details. But no matter how many times you hear from a patient, there is always a story that touches all of our hearts.
In early March, a call came in to Flight Coordinator Margaret Anderson. On the other end of the line was a high school student calling on behalf of their student government in Gulf Breeze, Florida. This young lady wanted to know if we could donate a flight for her classmate who did not have the funds to get to a specialty facility in Miami. She explained this facility would give her friend a chance at a normal life, as her classmate has a long history battling neurological issues.
Angel MedFlight does not typically donate flights as we are usually able to help patients pay for their flights through their insurance, but this case held a special place in the heart of all of us, including our CEO Jeremy Freer.
When Freer started the air ambulance company in 2007, many people told him it would never work and he was too young to make a difference. So when he heard about a group of teens coming together to make a difference, he knew Angel MedFlight had to get involved.
With some teamwork and special logistics, Angel MedFlight figured out that by using the newly remodeled Learjet 35, we could make this young girl’s wish a reality.
Within weeks, our team flew to Pensacola to surprise the patient with a send-off party. What we found when we got to the high school was a surprise to us as well; the student government had not only contacted Angel MedFlight for the medical transport, they also raised money for a hotel, car and food for the family while they were at the Miami Children’s Hospital. Another surprise for us, it was the patient’s first ride in a plane.
When arriving in Miami, news crews and Angel MedFlight representatives were there to welcome the family, and wish them well on their journey to recovery. The patient and her mother were overcome with gratitude for the flight, the pilots and the outstanding medical crew. And, yes, a few tears were shared on both sides.
On a side note, being a part of this team was truly an amazing experience, not because the flight was donated, but to be able to reward a group of teens that took a chance to ask for the world….and got it.
Angel MedFlight Staff with Gulf Breeze Highschool Students
