In September 2024, AFW’s passenger Jonathan shared his testimonial at AFW’s 2024 Golf Classic.
My name is Jonathan and I’m honored to be here to share my story with you.
It was 2012, and I was in my late 30s—healthy, fit, and feeling invincible. After serving as a flight attendant with American Airlines for almost 10 years, a job that took me to 53 countries, I started my own event planning company.
On August 13, 2012, after overseeing three events as an event planner for a client in St. Louis, I boarded a client’s aircraft to return to Chicago, with my dog, Penelope, by my side. While we waited for the aircraft to pull up, my usually calm dog began climbing all over me, trying to open my mouth with her paw.
As soon as I stepped onto the plane, everything went black, and I was writhing in horrific pain. Then, woosh… a bright light enveloped me. In the distance, I could see people waving at me, including my grandparents. My grandpa said, “Hey, sunshine.” It’s what he always called me when I was a kid. “You’re going to be okay. We don’t have much time, but you’re going to go back and be a helper.”
I woke in an ambulance and was rushed to a hospital in St. Louis where learned I had coded for 8.5 minutes before being brought back to life with the help of a pilot. Eventually, I received a diagnosis of stage three brain cancer. A bright spot was because of how my dog reacted in the way she did, she became my certified seizure alert dog until her passing. She also saved my life hundreds of times allowing me enough time to safely situate myself for oncoming seizures.
Being young and healthy, I didn’t have insurance, so I cashed out my 401(k) for surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, which forced me to close my small company. The treatments left me with permanent damage and intense weekly seizures, but I was determined to recover and honor my grandpa’s wishes.
In 2014, I moved to San Diego and met my life partner. Ironically our first date, he is the one that ended up in the hospital due to his crohn’s disease. I stayed by his hospital bedside that night while doctors treated him and I never left his side. We call it the Big L Love when you stick around when someone you care about is suffering. And he has never left mine in the years that followed… because my cancer returned at the end of 2018.
At that point, my San Diego neurooncologist offered no viable options. I knew of one surgeon at UCLA who could help, and I learned that the only promising vaccine trials and neurocognitive therapies were in San Francisco. I knew we couldn’t afford flights back and forth and intense seizures left me with crippling anxiety in crowds with strangers all around me.
Then I remembered Angel Flight West. It took a lot of courage to call because I wanted to feel worthy of the wonderful supporters who donate to such a vital organization. A lot of soul-searching and recalling my grandpa’s words, that I was going to, “be a helper.” I knew the only way that would happen was to get this growing tumor back out of my brain. The old phrase “please put your own oxygen mask on first before helping others” that I had recited thousands of times to passengers… So, I called.
It saved my life.
Over the past five years, not only did a second surgery take away my seizures, but the vaccine trial at UCSF seemed to push the remaining portion of tumor that couldn’t be removed into hiding. It hasn’t grown since. Neurocognitive trials have helped stabilize my cognitive functions, and UCSF’s dental school has addressed the damage to my teeth and jaw caused by radiation to my head.
I wouldn’t have had access to any of this specialized care without Angel Flight West.
Three years ago, with the help that Angel Flight, UCLA’s surgical team, and UCSF’s neuroscientists provided to me to heal, I started a nonprofit certified farmers’ market in my San Diego neighborhood because it listed as a USDA food desert. It is operated by an all-volunteer team, including myself. The market not only provides fresh produce from local San Diego County farmers to my community, but it also hosts “Nonprofit Day” every fourth Thursday, featuring organizations that offer wraparound services for seniors, support for working parents, blood pressure checks, free vaccines and TB screenings among several other free resources.
Finally, I am helping.
The Big L Love is sustained by all those who have supported me on this journey, including Angel Flight West. Now, that Big L Love empowers me and my volunteer team to care for hundreds of neighbors each week in our community. My nonprofit is named Love, Linda Vista — it’s my love letter to everyone who has been there for us.
But I must mention the friendships I’ve made with the pilots who have taken me to many appointments. The conversations, the genuine laughs, and the deep connections have always helped me face each appointment with strength and the Big L Love that I feel from the Angel Flight West staff, pilots and FBOs. Some of those wonderful pilots have even come to visit the little farmers market my team and I built.
I remain humbled by it all.
My partner wanted me to express our gratitude together to all of you supporting Angel Flight West. It’s a daily reminder of the faith in a chosen family I never expected. Each of you are part of that large family woven together with the Big L Love. It is real, and each day I push myself a little more because I want all of you who have helped me to know that I am helping others in return, paying it forward just as my grandpa promised I would.
On days like today, standing before you, I feel him and my grandma with me. They would say thank you, too.
