![]() ![]() The wounds to his face were so extensive that he had to undergo more than 40 reconstructive surgeries and lost one eye. Staff Sergeant Robert Bartlett was severely wounded while deployed in combat in Iraq. ![]() Just weeks later, at Able Flight’s annual Wings Pinning ceremony at EAA AirVenture, she was honored as that year’s recipient of the Bombardier/Able Flight Scholarship. After six weeks of intensive training both in the air and in the classroom, Melissa passed her check ride to become a licensed pilot. In 2017 she was awarded a scholarship to attend training at Purdue, an experience she said has changed her forever. But it was an experience bungee jumping off a bridge that finally allowed Melissa to lose her fears, and with that, she took on the challenge of becoming a pilot. She has become an outstanding photographer and has challenged herself through scuba diving and sky diving. With that gift she started on a new path in life and began to treasure each experience. ![]() As she was going through recovery and rehab, she realized how grateful she was that her choices had not led to the injury of anyone else. Melissa Allensworth was paralyzed when she crashed the truck she was driving. This was a life altering experience for me and I’m already sharing the benefits of what I received with the next generation of aviators.” Now I have such a better grasp of the knowledge and some real experience to draw from when I’m trying to teach basic knowledge and skills to my cadets. Six weeks of training this past summer and now I have achieved something I wasn’t sure was even possible. These people believed in me and supported me to a greater degree than I ever imagined. All that changed earlier this year when I received a scholarship from Able Flight. In 2013, he was awarded a scholarship to train at Able Flight’s program at Purdue University, and though his physical situation presented unique challenges, Dennis excelled at the program and earned his pilot certificate.Īfter his experience in becoming a pilot he said, “All my life I have dreamed of flying, but a spinal cord injury when I was fourteen kept me from ever fulfilling that dream. He is a father and a longtime member of the Civil Air Patrol where he has served as his unit’s Aerospace Education Officer. Even so, Dennis not only completed high school, he earned two degrees at Texas A&M and later became an engineer for the U.S. At Able Flight’s annual Wings Pinning ceremony at EAA AirVenture, Scot was honored as the 2015 recipient of the Jet Aviation/Able Flight Scholarship with his Able Flight Wings being pinned by Patty Wagstaff, a member of the Aviation Hall of Fame.ĭennis Akins of Texas was paralyzed in a gymnastics accident when he was fourteen, the accident leaving him a quadriplegic with very limited use of his upper arms and hands. Scot was a member of the “Class of 2015”, and he trained with instructor Lucero Duran at Able Flight’s joint training program at Purdue University where he earned his pilot certificate. Then he heard about Able Flight and applied for a scholarship. ![]() His twin brother Sean, also a New York policeman, joined many other police officers at the hospital in support of Scot.Īfter rehab, Scot was determined to stay active, so he continued to serve a a volunteer for his area fire department, and as often as possible, he took his young son to a nearby airport to watch planes come and go. After being airlifted to a hospital, it soon became apparent that he was partially paralyzed with much of the damage being on his left side. While serving as a motorcycle patrolman and directing traffic at a funeral, Scot was critically injured in an accident. Scot Abrams of New York is a former Marine who followed the family career pathway by becoming a New York policemen. ![]()
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