Each year, AFW’s volunteer pilots fly dozens of missions to help veterans reach the Guardian Project, an outdoor therapy program organized by the White Heart Foundation where veterans battling post-traumatic stress or trauma can open up and relate to others who have had a similar experience.
Meet our passenger Gloria, a veteran and passenger who flew home from the Guardian Project with AFW this past fall. Gloria says, “As a disabled veteran, I never thought I’d find myself in a privately owned plane. I can’t tell you how cool it was to peer down at the Red Rocks from up above, and I loved having a retired A-10 pilot to share Air Force memories with during my journey.
“The trip came right after the sudden and tragic loss of one of my dearest friends, and I showed up at the camp in a devastated and underweight state. It was amazing to have the women at the retreat give me a solid place to land, physically and emotionally, especially since the retreat took place right between my departed friend’s two memorials. And then there was the river — which I desperately needed — that was a source of healing for me.” From her journey through the skies to her time by the water, the elements came together to bring Gloria some of the peace she needed. Today, she’s grateful for the vital encouragement she received — and she wants to help other veterans find hope again. “I can’t tell you how important this trip was in getting me through an impossible time,” she says.
“As disabled veterans, we need these programs in our lives. We deal with a lot of grief and loss. Resources like these, with special opportunities like a private flight… that saves lives.”
Gloria was invited by the Guardian Project to undergo trip leader training this year and plans to return to assist military members as they make the often-difficult transition to civilian life. “I hope to bring more women veterans into the program in the future,” she says.
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