The monthly newsletter for friends of Angel Flight South Central STORIES FROM THE SOUTH CENTRAL SKIES
[David and Pat with pilot Michael Periard] David and Pat’s connection to Angel Flight South Central started after many trips from their home in Oklahoma, or “Small Town, USA” as Pat calls it. David had been receiving treatment for bladder cancer at M.D. Anderson in Houston for several years already. The nearly 6-hour drive was always difficult to share as Pat was not comfortable driving in places like Dallas and Houston (who can blame her?). As David’s cancer began advancing and treatments became more strenuous, he was unable to continue driving or assist Pat in navigating through the larger cities. It was obvious that the travel was adding to the couple’s already stressful situations. While waiting on David to receive a body scan, Pat engaged in a conversation with a stranger in the waiting room. “I’ll be thankful for her from now on,“ Pat states. The woman asked how they traveled to their appointment and proceeded to tell Pat about Angel Flight. Pat arranged their first flight with Angel Flight staff. She didn’t ask about cost as she knew that driving wasn’t even an option for David to be able to receive the needed treatment. They were shocked that the pilot would not even accept an offer of lunch as a small token of their thanks. “[The pilots] gave us their time. They gave us their wonderful airplanes. They’re definitely a godsend to people like David, because he would have quit going just before that first flight that we made down there.”