In this heartwarming episode of Take Off Talk, we meet Debbie, a resilient passenger who shares her incredible journey with Angel Flight East. Diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy over a decade ago, Debbie's path has been challenging, marked by two heart transplants and countless trips to the Cleveland Clinic. Financial constraints and the long 12-hour drive from Virginia to Ohio made these trips daunting, until Angel Flight East stepped in. With the help of compassionate pilots like Kley, who went above and beyond to ensure her comfort, Debbie found a lifeline. Her story highlights the profound impact of Angel Flight East, not just in easing travel burdens, but in fostering a community of support and friendship. Debbie's experience underscores the importance of organizations like the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association in connecting patients with vital resources. Her gratitude and advocacy for these services shine through, reminding us of the power of kindness and community in times of need.

This week’s episode of Take Off Talk features one of our newer passengers, Ken, who has stage four cancer. Listen to his heartfelt story about all the different medical challenges he has overcome. Despite these challenges, Ken still continues to stay positive, and shares his experiences working with Angel Flight East.

Meet Mounyroth, a graduate student in Philadelphia, who was facing a difficult choice: continue his studies and career path or prioritize the travel needed for essential medical treatments far from home. The long, costly trips were becoming unmanageable alongside his studies and mounting expenses.

Then, Mounyroth found Angel Flight East. With free flights from our dedicated volunteer pilots, he can reach the specialized care he needs without sacrificing his future. Now, Mounyroth can pursue his degree with peace of mind, knowing he has access to critical treatments.

Family Reach is the only national nonprofit focused solely on helping people with cancer access food, housing, utilities, and transportation. Angel Flight East partners with Family Reach to ensure our patients not only have access to care, but other resources as well.

On this week’s episode, we have the pleasure of chatting with Gina Frost and hearing her heartfelt testimonial on how Angel Flight East has impacted her life.

This week’s episode of Take Off Talk features our very own Flight Coordinator, David Dailey! You may have heard us talk about David on multiple occasions and we couldn’t think of a better week to bring him into the mix. You will hear how David came to Angel Flight, as well as what we are all most excited about this holiday season.

When you take to the skies, real impact is measured in lives changed. In this episode, we meet Kley Parkhurst, Angel Flight East’s Pilot of the Year, whose volunteer flying has touched countless lives. Kley shares his journey from becoming a pilot in midlife to flying patients, pets, and supplies for causes like Hurricane Helene relief. Through heartfelt stories, he reveals how combining his love of aviation with service has brought him purpose, joy, and the chance to make a difference. From flying life-saving missions to coordinating pet rescues, Kley’s dedication exemplifies how passion can turn into meaningful impact.

Jess Ames and Maddy Beck chat with Derek Ray, an AFE passenger, who looks back on how Angel Flight saved his life. He shares how taking the flight cut his travel time by a huge chunk, allowing him to get to his heart transplant surgery on time. Derek also expresses his desire to volunteer for Angel Flight after their services drastically transformed his overall outlook in life.