Mr. Peter VandenBosch, a retired
businessman in Holland, Michigan, was asked to fly a person in need to a
distant medical facility for treatment. Mr. VandenBosch realized that
many other people had similar needs, and that he and
others had resources to help meet that
need.
In June 1991 Mr. VandenBosch and a group of
pilots met in Holland, Michigan to organize a service named Wings of Mercy,
Inc. to offer flights at no cost to financially needy persons from that area
who required specialized medical treatment at distant medical centers.
Immediately it became clear that the need was far greater than expected.
Based upon their experience upward of 80% of their clients would
not be able to go for specialized treatment of this kind
if this kind of service was not available.
Newspaper, radio and television coverage helped to expand this service. Soon
other aircraft owners volunteered their aircraft at locations throughout
Western Michigan.
Since that time additional Wings of Mercy
chapters have been formed to help meet the growing need. Wings
of Mercy Minnesota was established in January of 1995 to serve the
people of Minnesota. In early 1996, Wings
of Mercy Eastern Michigan was formed by a group of pilots in Midland,
Saginaw and Bay City.
All services are performed by volunteers;
aircraft owners/operators are reimbursed for fuel only (about 1/3 of the
actual cost of operating an aircraft), and many refuse even that. Wings of
Mercy is funded entirely by charitable contributions.
Dear Wings
of Mercy
I want to
take this time to sincerely thank you for all your help. I have been
suffering with severe endometriosis for almost five years. I have been
through four surgeries and countless medications. Dr. B.... at the Omega
Institute will be performing the procedure that may relieve my pain increase my
chances of becoming a mother. This is an opportunity I thought had been
taken away from me. I will be forever grateful for your service.
Thank you again, and God bless . . . .
For the
Wings Pilots
When I fly
with Wings of Mercy I feel that we also fly among the angels. When we are
up with the clouds, a sense of peace always comes upon me.....always. I do
know that those very angels guide and protect each plane, each pilot, and each
passenger. God Bless . . .
Dear Wings
I want you
to know how thankful my wife and I are for you. You sacrificed your time
and energy to fly us to Nashville. God has opened so many doors for us and
Wing of Mercy was definitely the answer to our prayers. Thank you so much,
hopefully this surgery will allow our son to grow up and live a full life that,
in turn, will be a blessing to others, just as you have been to us.
