A Flight For Mom

My mom gave me my first flight lesson as a college graduation gift.  I was so excited! For many years she had heard me talk about wanting to be a pilot, but she always seemed somewhat hesitant to fully support my fancy. Later she admitted that she was scared. She used to always say that I had my "head in the clouds." I think she thought I needed a little more grounding before taking off...and she was right.



I got my licence in 2008, and during these past three years something has always gotten in the way of me being able to take my mom, the person who helped me to first spread my wings, up for a flight. Finances, geography, crazy work schedules, and then finally, her failing health. Last September, a month before she passed away, I promised her that we would fly soon.  I never got the chance to fulfill this promise.

We'll never know what exactly happened, but it's thought that my mom passed away in the evening -- the day before I started my first day as an Angel Flight Mission Assistant. I'll never forget that day.  I felt like I had found a side to aviation that I truly connected with, and then something else happened.

While I assisted our passenger, an elderly woman with Alzheimer's, into the plane she smiled and started to sing Edelweiss. I laughed with delight, exclaiming "Edelweiss. How beautiful. My mom used to sing that song!"  At the end of the day, I called my mom and left her a message.  A week later I found out why she never called back.

It took me many months to feel right about flying again. Every plane reminded me of my mom and the failed promise that I made to her. I know that this is exactly what she wouldn't want. So today, Mother's Day, I took her  for her first flight. We flew along the coast of Monterey CA -- a place we spent time together many times before.

Along for the ride was mom (tucked away safely in my flight bag), my husband (who looked after her), and fellow pilot/flight instructor Mark (who, after a touch n'go in Marina, took the controls while I scattered flowers over the coastline for mom).


The plane took a bump in the rear when we leveled out of the turn to head home. I like to think it was mom's way of saying she was sticking around, rather than a kick in the ass for waiting so long,--but the latter would be more her style!



Happy Mother's Day Mom. I miss you!