Letter from Angie: Mother of Two AFW Passengers July 16, 2026 Below is a letter from Angie, the mother of AFW passengers Charlize and Jarrett. In it she expresses the family’s gratitude for the flights they’ve received from Angel Flight West and Alaska Airlines — our premier commercial airline partner. We have been flying with Angel Flight West since 2018 for our daughter Charlize’s medical care. Then last year, we found out our son, Jarrett, needed lifes… LindseyK Read More »
From AFW Passenger to Camp Manager: Meet Erika July 6, 2026 Erika pictured with fellow campers and camp staff Erika, Camps and Recreation Manager at the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation (AARBF) and former Angel Flight West (AFW) passenger, shares her gratitude for AFW and the continued impact we have through our partnership with the AARBF below. From Erika: I say thank you to the team and volunteer pilots, but it feels like it’s never enough. I’m speaking today un… LindseyK Read More »
Serving AFW Passengers Alaura and Shirlee March 27, 2026 Volunteer Impact and the Dr. Randy Sherman Access for All Fund Four-year-old Alaura and her mom Shirlee became AFW passengers in 2025 after significant flooding in Seattle put a dent in their travel plans for an upcoming appointment at Seattle Children’s. “When the flooding happened, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to drive,” shared Shirlee. Alaura had been diagnosed with cancer two years prior, requiri… LindseyK Read More »
A Thank You Letter from Passenger Shannon December 31, 2025 Our passenger Shannon shares her gratitude to Angel Flight West volunteers and supporters in a letter below for their generosity in 2025. To Angel Flight West Volunteers, Supporters, and Staff, I am here to express my deepest and sincerest gratitude for everything you have done for my son Kane and for our family. Your support has made a tremendous difference during a time in our lives when the simplest tasks — like tr… Jessica Hayes Read More »
From AFW Passenger Amelia December 23, 2025 For 17 years, Amelia’s sons, Jamisen and Cian, relied on AFW flights to access the specialized care they needed at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Amelia shares their story below, grateful that other families will continue to find hope and support through the gift of flight. Amelia shares: I remember the moment we heard about Angel Flight West (AFW) from Nurse Kathy at Children’s Hospital Los Angele… Jessica Hayes Read More »
A Message From Passengers Savannah and Eli December 23, 2025 Our son Eli was just two years old when he had his first seizure. Now, at eight, he’s a bright, strong-willed child who continues to live with intractable epilepsy — a condition that remains challenging to manage with medication. Our family lives in Silt, Colorado, nearly 10 hours from the specialized care Eli receives at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Traveling that far for appointments was daunting, both physical… Jessica Hayes Read More »
A Holiday Letter from Our Executive Director December 9, 2025 Dear Supporter, This holiday season, patients in your community need your help. For thousands of individuals and families, transportation remains a barrier to essential medical care. But with your support,we can continue to serve those who need us most by making the gift of flight possible for people who count on Angel Flight West. Meet our passenger, eight-year-old Eli. At just two years old, he wa… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Meet AFW Passenger Gabe December 3, 2025 AFW passenger Gabe has been flying with AFW since early 2024 to reach his essential care at Children’s Hospital LA. Gabe’s mother, Jadie, shares: “Our son Gabe is 15 years old. He suffered two strokes and a brain bleed after catching a virus and being intubated for four months. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and epilepsy as a result of this tragic event. “We moved to Arizona when Gabe wa… Jessica Hayes Read More »
How Advanced Air and Volunteer Pilots Made Dylan’s Journey Possible October 31, 2025 Dylan was only nine years old when he complained of having a migraine and numbness in his legs. Knowing migraines are unusual for Dylan, his mom Vanessa took him to the emergency room, where their scary medical journey began. “That was the beginning of ten hours at the ER, watching Dylan in and out of consciousness,” says Vanessa. After hours of tests and blood work, a pediatrician quickly attuned to Dylan’s sym… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Celebrating 700 Missions: Command Pilot Chris Bennett October 1, 2025 Chris Bennett joined Angel Flight West on February 6, 2014, completing his orientation just three days later and flying his very first mission on February 14. Since then, he has completed an extraordinary 705 missions, flying a Diamond Star 40 out of San Jose (SJC). One of his deepest connections has been with Eileen, who has flown with Chris 323 times. Eileen lovingly calls herself the president of the “Chris… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Dogs for Better Lives Names Puppy-in-Training “Jet” in Honor of Angel Flight West Volunteer Pilots July 30, 2025 CENTRAL POINT, OR July 28, 2025— A groundbreaking partnership between Dogs for Better Lives (DBL) and Angel Flight West is streamlining the journey for puppies and future Service Dogs, bringing efficiency and compassion to every step of their path toward service. This collaboration ensures that transportation is not just practical but also safe and timely, allowing DBL to focus more resources on trainin… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Meet Kaprice: Flying to Camp Since 2021 July 9, 2025 In 2016, then nine-year-old Kaprice was playing outside with his two brothers when he was hit by a speeding car. “He was dragged down the street,” Kaprice’s mother Krista tearfully remembers. Suffering severe burns from road rash and other critical injuries, Kaprice was on life support for a week and spent three months in the hospital. “The first thing the doctor said, recalls Krista, was, ‘Kaprice is a miracle.’… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Meet Asher: A Life Lifted By Angels May 28, 2025 Weighing only 1 lb. 14 oz, Asher was born prematurely at 25 weeks. He spent 164 days in the neonatal intensive care unit and had to have a tracheotomy at just three months old. At four months, Asher had a button—a feeding device—placed in his stomach. And at 22 months, he underwent heart surgery. Now 11 years old, Asher has spent more than 640 days in the hospital. “Over 11 years and four different states, it’s been a… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Wonderful Angels May 28, 2025 To the Wonderful Angels of Angel Flight WestA Letter from Charlene, mother of AFW passenger Asher Words seem inadequate to express the profound gratitude I feel for the incredible service you provide. My son Asher was born at 25 weeks weighing 1 lb 14 oz, and to date has spent over 640 days in and out of the hospital. Over 11 years and 3 different states, it’s been a long, difficult journey we navigate daily and will contin… Jessica Hayes Read More »
From Burn Survivor to Camp Leader: Alyssa’s Story May 27, 2025 On a hot summer day in 2016, then 10-year-old Alyssa was preparing to celebrate the Fourth of July. Alyssa loved to bake and being experienced in the kitchen; she decided to make treats for a family gathering on her own. After boiling water and sugar to make simple syrup, she went to put the mixture in the fridge — and that’s when her life changed in the blink of an eye. The pot tilted and its boiling contents splashed… Lucy Partington Read More »
