For people living in rural areas across the West, care can be difficult to access without additional resources and support. From already-costly medical bills to the burden of travel, crucial treatment can seem like a far-off reality.
AFW’s passenger Cammy knows that experience well.
Five years ago, Cammy’s medical team found a tumor in her brain, an overwhelming diagnosis that has also impacted her ability to travel. When she recently found out she needed to have an essential surgery in Phoenix, more than 700 miles away from her home in Westcliffe, Colo, a friend of hers suggested she call Angel Flight West (AFW).
Enter AFW’s dedicated volunteer pilots — Sean Bishop, Scott Gustafson, Eric Ecklund, Michael Saperton, Robert Hull, and Michael Kormos — who answered the call to help Cammy on her journey to health.
Living in rural Colorado, the nearest commercial airport to Cammy is nearly 150 miles away. “That can be a six-hour roundtrip or more depending on traffic,” she says. AFW’s team of volunteer pilots were able to fly Cammy to and from her small town on two separate occasions, making an already stressful life event more manageable.
One of those heroes was Command Pilot Sean Bishop, who flew Cammy home just three days after her major brain surgery in March. While Sean was initially only meant to fly one of two mission legs to help Cammy return home, flight plans changed mid-air. Without hesitation, Sean created a new flight plan, and safely flew Cammy the entire distance from Phoenix to the comfort of home.
Cammy says, “I am overcome with gratitude for Sean’s generosity and for him going above and beyond. Sean was also one of my pilots the first time I flew with Angel Flight West. There are some people who truly make the world a better place, and Sean is one of them.”
As for Sean, he’s humbled to have the opportunity to use his talents and resources to make a difference. Speaking to Cammy, he says, “I really enjoyed having a small role in your life and am completely honored to serve you in this way.”
As for us? We’re grateful to be part of the charitable aviation community, witnessing the strength in passengers like Cammy and the unparalleled kindness of volunteer pilots like Sean.
