"The Wright Brothers created the single greatest cultural force since the invention of writing. The airplane became the first World Wide Web, bringing people, languages, ideas, and values together."
- Bill Gates
On New Year's Eve 2018 we got to fly our FIRST #freedomflight for Pilots N Paws: Phoebe!
Phoebe was an owner-surrender, about a year old. Skin and bones, but as sweet a dog as any I've ever met. If she wasn't being picked up that morning, her owner was going to drop her off at the local shelter, on the South side of Chicago. Because of how timid and emaciated she was, I very much doubt she would have made it out of there.
Debbie, our friend Mike and I met Phoebe and her owner at Lansing Municipal Airport KIGQ. It was an emotional handoff, but not long after that, Mike and I were flying high to Cuba, Missouri. Headwinds and all, three hour after our departure, we met Phoebe's temporary foster at Cuba Municipal Airport KUBX. We had such a hard time letting her go: she was so friendly and lovable that, on the way back, at 11,500 ft above ground, Mike and I looked at each other and almost went back to get her. Well, I am happy that we did not because she has been in Idaho with Bill Snyder and his wife (who is blind) for the past two years, bringing them joy along with her boxer sibling.
We had such a hard time letting her go: she was so friendly and lovable that, on the way back, at 11,500 ft above ground, Mike and I looked at each other and almost went back to get her.
Flying Phoebe filled me with and incredible sense of accomplishment. Since that first flight we have flown almost entirely with the sole purpose of saving animals. In the past two years we were able to accomplish over 20 #freedomflights for 69 animals. And recently I learned that, while flying a rescue mission, my call sign changes from Cherokee 559E to COMPASSION59E. Love it!
ES