Providing Flights to Veteran Support Programs: Michael’s Story of Hope July 8, 2022 Angel Flight West is honored to provide flights to help service members reach veteran transition assistance programs. Michael’s story is one that resonates as we strive to connect more passengers with flights to needed medical treatment and support programs throughout the Western United States. Coming home from the Iraq War, Army veteran Michael struggled to find his place back in so… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Medical Transportation for Kaylie: Soaring Since Age 2 June 29, 2022 Four years ago, Kaylie was born with Type 1 Citrullinemia, a rare genetic malformation that causes ammonia and toxic substances to build up in her bloodstream. If left unchecked, Kaylie’s condition could leave her comatose and permanently brain damaged. Before her second birthday, Kaylie had already received a liver transplant — just one of numerous healthcare procedures needed to manage her condition and requ… Jessica Hayes Read More »
The Gift of Flight and Time June 16, 2022 A volunteer pilot since April 2020, Kosta Constantine has logged more than 27,000 flight hours in his trusty Beechcraft Baron. Lately, some of his most treasured time in the air has been spent with Nicole H. — including during her fourth birthday. At a time when other kids might solely be focused on games and toys, Nicole and her mom, Mirna, have had other important things on their wis… Jessica Hayes Read More »
A Mother’s Reflection: Angels in Hawaii February 17, 2022 January 28, 2021 was a day our family will never forget—our lives were forever transformed with our six-year-old son’s diagnosis of a brain cancer called Medulloblastoma. At the very start of this journey, we were transferred by air ambulance from our island, Maui, to Oahu, because our community did not have the resources needed to treat our son. We knew this would be a challenge we would have to face on our son’s road t… Kaitlyn McQuown Read More »
Angel Flight West Ascends Past 90,000 Missions November 18, 2021 In a quiet moment, pilot Jon Lange looks back from the cockpit of his Socata/TBM 700. Jon is one of 1,800 volunteer pilots who fly for Angel Flight West, and today he’s setting a milestone: this flight is the charitable aviation organization’s 90,000th mission. His passenger, Jenny, is gazing out the window at the clouds in wonder alongside her sister-in-law Alejandra. It’s Jenny’s first time i… Kaitlyn McQuown Read More »
From Cheri’s Desk: Kicking off Camp Season July 9, 2021 Camp season started this year with a bang as Champ Camp returned! And what a joyous event it was for campers, counselors, pilots, and the Mission Ops staff. While those watching from the outside may have thought the staff was buried in craziness and chaos (and they would have been right!), the truth is we were so energized to be back making sure that 35 campers and two counselors-in-training made it to Wonder Valley near… Cheri Cimmarrusti Read More »
Spotlight on an Angel July 9, 2021 Ramiro O. Passenger Ramiro with AFW Pilot Ajay Kishinchandani Sandra and Ramiro’s first flight anywhere was on a commercial airline to Florida for a vacation. Sandra has claustrophobia. Her only thought as they waited on the tarmac in a plane that was delayed for a reason she can’t remember was that she “was going to die.” She didn’t really ever want to fly again. Fast forward to her first flight with AFW to Seattle for… Wendy Weisenberg Read More »
Please meet Zoe March 12, 2020 We’d like you to meet Zoe. Zoe was born with just 10 percent of a normal small intestine, which means her body can’t get enough nutrients from solid food, and she has to be fed through a central line in her chest. She spent the first six months of her life at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto where she nearly died. Now 13 months old, Zoe is back at home in Southern California with her parents and older sister. But… afw_web_admin Read More »
Wingspan August 29, 2019 by Ivan Martinez, Director of Outreach and Wing Operations Since the start of our “Ascent to 8,000” campaign, outreach has been an increasing focus necessary to fuel our journey and one we are very much still learning to navigate better. We continue our efforts exhibiting at conferences, reaching out to new requester and patient leads, and arranging in-service presentations–all in hopes that our name reaches the… Wendy Weisenberg Read More »
A Mission Moment by No. CA Command Pilot Dave Lombard October 24, 2018 Worthy of the Trust I have been flying Angels for about 14 years. I think over that time, I have pretty much seen it all. My first mission was a woman from northeastern California who was suffering from colon cancer. I also flew one of her neighbors who had breast cancer. They have both passed on. I live in the central California foothills, adjacent to the great San Joaquin Valley where we feed the world. There are a lot of ki… afw_web_admin Read More »
A Mission Moment – Passenger Larry G. June 13, 2018 The following article written by volunteer So. CA Command Pilot Tom Close in 2014 after flying passenger Larry G. on Larry’s first AFW flight is an example of the hidden benefits of being&… afw_web_admin Read More »
Alaska Air Blog: “Angel Flight West connects critically ill patients to life-saving medical care” May 20, 2015 Posted on Alaska Airlines Blog on May 20, 2015 By Halley Knigge, Staff Writer In July 2014, Mike Rogers was given three months to live. He’d been diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive tissue cancer. But Rogers and wife Betty weren’t willing to accept the prognosis. “They told us he had three months to live,” says Betty. “We thought ‘No. No, no, no, no, no.’” The Anchorage, Alaska, couple started to researc… Jill Dannis Read More »
Randy’s Alaska Air Angel Flight May 11, 2015 FROM A PASSENGER by AFW Passenger Randy F. Excerpt from AFW Winter 2015 Newsletter I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in June 2014. I started chemotherapy the day after I was diagnosed. My oncologist let me know that I needed a bone marrow transplant and that they do not do these transplants in Hawaii. I needed to go to a facility on the mainland. Fortunately for me, my brother was a match and we chose City of Hope i… Jill Dannis Read More »
Hear From Our Passengers April 6, 2015 [raw] Want to hear what our passengers have to say about Angel Flight West? Check out some reviews below, and then head over to our Passenger Survey Feedback page to see more! Mission: 181598-1 on 10-03-2014 Passenger: Douglas H. (Post stem cell transplant (leukemia) At one time I didn’t think there were good people left . I am so thankful for the pilots and you. You have found the best people ever that have chosen to s… Jill Dannis Read More »
5th Annual Princess Ball to Benefit Angel Flight West January 5, 2015 By Josh Faith – Parent of AFW Passenger Inspiration for the Ball The first Princess Ball was held in March of 2009 as a homecoming celebration of life and the completion of treatment for four year-old Valicity Lee Faith. Valicity was diagnosed with Leukemia on January 14… Jill Dannis Read More »
