Doing My Good Deed for the Day...

[jordonj]

I had meant to leave a couple of days ago, but my friend (the one who owned the Legacy) asked me to stick around for a bit).

It seems that there's a girl who has ALL (Acute childhood leukemia).  Well, it's not really all that descriptive to call her a "girl" since she's 32 years old, but she also has Down's Syndrome (which increases the Risk Factor for ALL).  Like any person with Down's Syndrome, her face is ageless.   However, her lack of hair and thin frame leaves no doubt that something is very wrong.  

She has been treated at a hospital specializing in this sort of thing.  However, after trying all they could (the older you are, the lower the chances that ALL can be treated successfully), she has been sent home as keeping her comfortable is all that is possible.  Her family lives in Jacksonville and are not well-to-do.  She talks about wanting to see Mickey Mouse.

Her family is sort of wrangling with the doctor...he won't authorize any of the official orginizations to take her to Disneyworld due to her being so fragile.  Her parents (as well as my friend and I), ask "what has she got to loose?"

So, since the Lake is relatively roomy, that's where I come in.  They have been working on getting the equipment to move her (as well as a nurse to fly along).  Also, everyone agrees on one thing...she cannot possibly live much longer...

Today turned out to be the day we left.   After we signed all the necessary forms with the parents (the doctor was livid when he found out how he was being sidestepped), we got underway...Rose (not her real name) is able to walk short distances, and we loaded her last.  We left about 11:00...

I didn't waste time getting in the air, considering who was behind me (my friend got this one)...



Rose, despite having Down's, is very high-functioning for her condition.  At first she was awake and wanted to know how I knew where I was going...she was very inquisitive.



The flight took about an hour.  Rose drifted in and out of consciousness.  Thankfully, her nose never started bleeding (once it starts, it's difficult to stop).

A civillian air patrol followed me for a bit.  They were happy to take these shots as I passed over the parks...





They also helped me understand where 44FD was.  There's no NDB or VOR nearby and it's a small private strip.  It took me a try or two to see where it was...

Did I say it was small?



I had to make two attempts to land (my Lake's STOL abilities were really put to the test)...



In the end, I got the plane down gently, though I landed just before where the runway started, and stopped just after it ended.  

A van was waiting to take Rose to Disneyworld.  Disney has given her, her caregiver and her parents, a two-week stay.  I get a room as well (along with food).  It's not really a paying job, but hey...can't complain really (and it's not too far out of my way).

And, of course, there's the way Rose's face lights up when she see's her favorite characters in the park!

[lemoncat]

jeeez..

[gn85]

Wow, if that's your good deed for the day, I would hate to see what you'd do for a week of no good deeds.

Very nice story.  Glad all worked out.  Next time arrange for a slightly larger landing strip.  Can't you just land in the lake in Disney World.

[jordonj]

Not with all the swimmers there...it's also not really a lake...(too shallow I think)

[legoalex2000]

is that another airport glitch from M$ or is that you havin fun with the strips

[jordonj]

Glitch I do believe.  Comes as a consequence of trying to model the whole world...