Joni Jackson, a Hospice Social Worker at Elevation Hospice of Colorado, shares her experience with Angel Flight West and her memorable flight with patient Larry:
I am a hospice social worker and started caring for Larry in August 2023. He had suffered a stroke and had physical and cognitive impairments as a result. His wife had been struggling with her own health and could not care for Larry at home. He moved into a skilled nursing facility soon afterwards. He was depressed and seemed to lose the will to live. Hospice was quickly organized to support him, and I began to visit him weekly. I played music for him (he loved classical piano), read news articles, and slowly showed him he was not alone, that the hospice team was there for him. His wife then received a devastating diagnosis and died a few short weeks later. It was quite unexpected, and a shock to say the least. Larry had a hard time processing this information and on occasion would ask about his wife. I gently reminded him that she had died, and his grief cycle would start, all over again. I did not give up on Larry and still visited him weekly.
The hospice team was led to believe that Larry had no family, at least not locally. He and his wife never had children. Hospice became his family; we supported him and celebrated small wins with him when we could. We later learned that Larry had a sister in southern California, where Larry had grown up. He and his sister had been somewhat estranged, for many reasons, for families can be complicated like that. His sister came to see Larry after his wife died and asked about him moving to California. It would be a challenge, but I was determined to believe it would not be impossible! I started to contact commercial airlines for information on how to fly with a person with such high needs, the wheelchair being the least of them. The sheer idea of getting Larry across Denver International Airport made me shudder. The thought of the TSA line alone made me want to cry. They all offered similar assistance, but it all felt inadequate. We needed something special; we needed a miracle.
As soon as I heard about Angel Flight West, I did a deep dive into Google. I sat in front of my computer and read all about the mission of this amazing organization. Having a connection to flying in my personal life, I was astounded to connect with hero-pilots who dedicated their time and aircraft for those in need. But the takeaway I had at the time was, it would be a true challenge for Larry to climb in and out of a small plane. He was weak and relied on a wheelchair but could stand and pivot when needed. Still… climbing up and into a small plane seemed so challenging, there had to be a different way. My conversation started with Angel Flight West in January, and we brainstormed ideas. Then they mentioned a flight with JSX.
I live in a suburb of Denver called Westminster. Just north and west of the city, and just south of a regional airport. I had learned of a new public charter airline called JSX quite by accident and wanted to learn more. I learned they had a flight to Burbank and that sounded promising. Before I knew it, Larry and I were booked on the flight! I spent the next few weeks “prepping” Larry for the flight, making sure he understood and more importantly, wanted to go. He did! A few days before the flight, I reached out to a wheelchair transportation company who donated the short drive to Rocky Mountain Regional Airport. It was a beautiful, crisp Saturday morning. Perfect flying weather.
We pulled up in front of the small terminal and JSX employees assisted with wheelchair transport, and they also took our bags (we were traveling fairly light). Larry’s face seemed to light up as he noticed the plane and seemed to understand he would be boarding it soon. I had a portable CD music player (remember those?) with his favorite classical music. JSX set up a ramp (instead of stairs) so that his wheelchair could be wheeled up to the entrance to the plane.
Personnel assisted with helping Larry settle into his seat, all the way up front. The other passengers smiled at Larry as they boarded, and I want to think Larry smiled back. I took my seat behind him, and patted his shoulder as we took off, hoping he wasn’t afraid. The flight was flawless, absolutely stunning, as we made our way across the Rockies, over the desert, and into southern California. We were met by another wheelchair transport van at the airport and were soon on our way to the new assisted living facility, just a few miles from where Larry’s sister lived. The reunion was an emotional one, and Larry just looked different when I left him. He looked peaceful, he looked… loved.
This reunion would not have been possible without the support from Angel Flight West and JSX. A seemingly impossible journey had come to fruition.
Larry lived a few more months, and I want to believe he did so because of the move. His body was damaged from the stroke, that is true. But somehow, I want to believe his heart had been fully restored and was full of love when he took his last breath.
It was an honor and a privilege to accompany Larry home. And I will be forever grateful to Angel Flight West and JSX. From the bottom of my heart, “Thank you!”
When travel becomes a necessity, and not a “fun getaway,” it suddenly becomes a source of stress and worry, instead of joy. Juggling barriers to traveling to a place where hope lives, can be exhausting. The financial considerations alone can be staggering. Giving someone the peace of mind to travel to a hopeful place, a better place, a place where help is available, is priceless. When you support Angel Flight West, you are not just offsetting the cost of a flight, you are fueling hope and restoring a sense of possibility. All of which is vital to the human spirit and can be an underlying positive current to healing, if that is the trajectory a person is on. As for Larry, once he settled into his new living space in California, I wanted to snap a photo to remember him by. In all the months I had known Larry, I had never seen him smile. Until that moment… it is a photo I will cherish forever.
