Hope takes flight

    Illness knows no boundaries, which is precisely what Angel Flight Soars set out to combat. Angel Flight pilots fly patients who cannot afford commercial flights to life-changing medical treatments free of charge. Since 1983, flights have included one-time and ongoing transport to and from transplant procedures, medical retreats, and natural disaster areas. For Ardenwoods resident and former Angel Flight pilot, Legette Zorn, these flights would be foundational to his interest in aviation.

    “It was my job to transport individuals in need of medical assistance from point A (home) to point B (treatment), and then back home again,” said Legette. “This opportunity was a true calling. I’ve always enjoyed helping people.”

    Legette’s passion for helping others brewed well before joining Angel Flight. Legette dedicated 21 years of his life to the Navy, serving in many roles, from desk jobs to full tours at sea. He also founded two Boy Scout troops.

    After his career in the Navy, Legette and his wife purchased land in southern Georgia, where they lived for 37 years. Legette soon began flying and immediately fell in love with aviation. He bought a plane and completed his first major long-distance flight from Georgia to Fairbanks, Alaska. With a plane, time, and heart of gold, Legette decided to become an Angel Flights pilot.

    “I had a plane to use, loved to fly, and wanted to help people. It was that simple,” he said.

    He holds several patients near and dear to his heart. One instance involved a young girl with severe burns.

    Legette received a request from the Angel Flight flight coordinator, based at the DeKalb-Peachtree Airport in Atlanta, to take the young girl to a burn center in Texas for next-day treatment. Legette, it seemed, was her only hope. Despite severe weather conditions, Legette transported the girl to Mississippi, where, she was transported by ground to Texas. He ended up staying in Mississippi that night, but is grateful that he was able to take her as far as he safely could.

    “That was one of the most heartbreaking Angel Flight experiences,” said Legette. “I took one look at her burns and couldn’t look again.”

    Another memorable mission involved a woman with severe jaw cancer. This was categorized as a compassionate, rather than medical, mission, as the woman, living in Miami, desired to be with her family in Chicago during her final days. Unable to afford commercial airline transportation, the woman and her family contacted Angel Flight. And so, Legette flew the woman to Chicago with a convoy of three other Angel Flight planes.

    “We tried not to carry out a mission with the same patient on board for more than two hours,” said Legette. “We would land and then switch pilots.”

    Legette ponders other memorable flights he had, like when he took a young boy to treatment and they happened to fly over Stone Mountain in Atlanta. Despite the young boy’s medical despair, he could not stop smiling about getting to see the notable mountain. In moments like this, Legette was reminded why his role as an Angel Flight pilot mattered.

    Missions were not always one and done — Legette once flew a young boy with a skull abnormality between Atlanta and Tallahassee, Florida, fifteen times for various treatments. Legette is thankful to have been a part of the child’s successful treatment.

    As the years went on and he noticed that his in-flight decision-making was not what it used to be, Legette eventually stopped flying for Angel Flights. Legette left quite a legacy, completing many missions and even being named a top Angel Flight pilot.

    We salute Legette, for his brave selflessness. Your actions impacted many lives for the better.