The Paris trips are so complicated that the Children’s Medical Escort Team deserves special applause.  This escort involved five different escorts and four different children. From Escort Director, Margaret Whitehead:

Daniel’s wife with Ibrahim

Ibrahim spent the night with Daniels family before his trip home.

“This is Daniel Fetys’ photo album. I love the pic of Ibrahim and the Fetys’ big dog! Daniel is an ASF escort, we should recognize him for volunteering to do this trip, knowing that the AF pilots were on partial strike and many of the flights were canceled. Their flight did cancel so we got permission from the CDG police for Daniel to take Ibrahim home where he spent the night with the Fetys family. The next day Daniel took him home to Ouagadougou and brought 3 kids back all by himself and all of them had problems walking.

 Ibrahim had orthopedic surgery on his leg and was so anxious for his father to see him walk normally.   Linda Lory Blixt, DFW F/A and Tracie Springer, PHX F/A left on 23Apr with Ibrahim. They finally returned on 26Apr with Afiya, Abdoul, and Amadine. See this touching story written about the trip by Medical Escort Linda Blixit:”

Traci Springer, Ibriham and Linda Brixit

Wow! What an incredible adventure.  I will never forget my first medical escort trip to Paris and back.  First the unknown whether the trip would happen or not.  Everyone was hopeful, however an Air France pilot strike made for difficult planning.  We all agreed to go for it…and that’s exactly what we did!!  And what an awesome dose of healthy hope an entire village of people pulled off for four sweet souls.  First up… returning Ibriham back to Paris so he could catch his flight back to Africa.  He was so sweet and now quite Americanized after his year long stay in the states.  He said kids use to make fun of him…but… not anymore!  He now walks as proud as a peacock…and was able to do so all the way home!  Ask awesome ASF escort Daniel Fetys who allowed him to spend the night at his home in Paris when his flight cancelled until the following day.  Daniel has the dance video to prove the kid can move.

When I met Ibriham and my sidekick escort Tracie Springer in Philly… we all hit it off from the start.  Ibriham wanted a vanilla shake for the road…he said it was his favorite ~ so a Smash Burger shake it was.  He was so polite and sweet.  He spoke of a party his host family had for him the day before he left. It was a bittersweet departure for him.  You could sense his American adventure now tugs at his heart as he is forever torn between two worlds.  How could anyone…young or old ever be the same.  Sad to leave, yet oh so anxious to go!

He was precious.  As an escort, it is tough not to want to remain a part of the childs life forever.  I told Ibriham he will always have this experience and to hold it in his heart and never ever forget.  Maybe one day he will return again ~

Daniel Fetys at the homecoming with Ibraim and his father, who had never seen the little boy walk before!

Once in Paris Daniel Fetys took over.  What a great guy he is with a genuine heart of gold.  We departed for the hotel after saying our bittersweet goodbye~

Tracie was so fun to work with.  I was so glad she had been thru the Paris

process as an escort before.  I played follow the leader…as she had the drill down quite well.  We enjoyed two nights in Paris ~ and two different hotels.  We definitely got spoiled the second night for sure!  Thank you ladies!!

Due to our delay…we had so much fun visiting shops and restaurants near Notre Dame!  One favorite place we sat and enjoyed a perfect view was from Le Petit Pont which translates to The Little Bridge….The words caught on so fitting and almost sum up a motto for Airline Ambassadors!  It was our first French words learned…besides Jem Paris’!!…I really do love Paris!!  🙂

As we made our way back to the airport Thursday morning we were anxious to meet our royal court.  Queen Amadine, Princess Afiya and Little Prince Abdoul.  Being in the presence of these kids truly makes you feel magical….almost as if you really are among royalty.  They are infectious.  It took us a bit to get the attention of the police as somehow one officer claimed he didn’t speak English and was not so willing to help…but eventually it all worked out and before we knew it we were reunited with Daniel…and met the kids for the first time.  They would soon melt my heart.  I will never forget Amadines trip to the restroom before boarding the plane. So quiet and shy…I had to carry her in to the restroom.  It didn’t take much for her to throw caution to the wind.  All it took was the automatic hand dryer near the sink once she washed her hands.  She was so excited.  She literally danced underneath the rush of air and noise.  From then on I knew we had won her heart too.  She ran so fast back to the gate smiling and happy I had to double step to keep up her pace.  She was joyful and smart… speaking English, French and native African.  Afiya…which means healthy one in Zwahili…(as we have a Zebra at the Phoenix Zoo where I worked for many years with the same name)….is just that…confident and feisty and was the best eater of all.  Food is what made her dance.  She would sway back and forth doing the happy dance as she ate anything you put in front of her that could be consumed.   It was the fuel for her soul.  She protected it too as the girls had a few occasions where they guarded their goods.  They are strong and resilient!  The precious Prince Abdoul taught me the most about having to accept what we have no say about.  This little pint-sized peanut was tough.  More than once he fought back his tears of sadness and confusion. It was tough to get him to dance.  So little and unsure of it all yet still allowing to trust the unknown with perfect strangers.  He is my hero!

It was tough to say goodbyes once arriving in Philly.  We handed off the kids to AAI medical escorts Karen Berger and Kathy Garza at the gate headed for Ohio where their life-changing journey begins.  I so pray these mere babies one day realize how lucky they are to have been chosen to be a part of this village.  From Drs. and escorts, coordinators and host families all volunteering time and talent in ways that somehow heal the lives of each of us involved.

It would be so perfect to be a part of their return trips back home.  Thank you for allowing me to have the brief yet oh so awesome pleasure of their company.  I am forever changed!

-Linda Blixt

American Airlines

Flight Attendant

Here is a pic from Simone Drews and Adalid Cortes waiting for their flight to Tegucigalpa:

“Hello Wayne and Becky,

I am back in CLT after a long day…Everything went very well. No delay: we arrived even early in TGU. I went through customs and immigration’s with Adelid and a wheelchair was waiting for us. I was very impressed with the TGU airport agents especially Yessica Pineda who went with me through customs to meet the parents and family and then back through customs again to take my flight back. It really helped me a lot as I sped through the different check points. She even upgraded me to first class on the TGU MIA flight!

The family was waiting for Adelid. There were tears of joy at the family reunion. I will send a picture. When I arrived in MIA on my way home, I decided to take the earlier flight at 5:20 pm. The flight was oversold so I took the jumpseat. It was better than waiting 2 hours..

Wayne, you did an incredible job organizing everything for my trip!!!

Simone”

Healing the Children Wisconsin did a great post about Rachel coming to the US recently escorted by Katherine Panucci and Cindy Sinkler.  Flights were over-booked so Cindy and Rachel rode the bus for the last leg of the trip to meet Rachel’s Host family in Wisconsin.  Here is the story and the pictures of the trip:

After a long day of travel, Rachel is finally in Milwaukee with escort- Cindi, host parents – Andrew and Claire, and Healing the Children Board members- Joe and Sara. Thank you everyone and Welcome to Wisconsin Rachel!

Here is another cute pic from the Healing the Children website. What miracles are possible through our selfless escorts!