Connor Air completed a unique flight to Guatemala on Friday, transporting twin boys to Dayton for potential life-changing surgeries. The boys, Augusto and Pedro, were born conjoined at the head. Doctors at Dayton Children’s Hospital are working to safely separate the twins over the next six months.
And the procedure was all made possible through a program called Angel Flight. Partner and chief pilot Brett Hunter connected with Dayton Children’s hospital, making this trip a reality.
How did this happen?
Managing Partner Larry Connor was playing squash with a Dayton-based doctor when the conversation shifted towards volunteering resources to help the twin boys.
“Larry has an interest in helping kids, so I think he was on-board pretty quick,” Brett said. “He steered them towards me, and we made it happen.”.
During the flight, partner and pilot Shawn Riffee transported the family and doctors and provided a new but relaxed environment for everyone.
“It’s stressful, but we just wanted them to feel comfortable. We wanted to make them feel at home,” Shawn said.
Shawn described this trip as “The Connor Group way,” living our core values outside of day-to-day operations and using our resources to do the right thing.
“Larry allows us to use the airplanes and team up with the right people so we can provide a life-changing experience and something this family will cherish for a lifetime,” Shawn said. “That’s where our core values come in – doing good for humanity. Sometimes you have to step back, look at your neighbors and ask, ‘How I can help?’”
Brett lives our core value of People Count, not just at TCG but in our community.
“We do the right thing. You have to be involved in your community. It’s God, family, and your community. Somewhere in there, you find a job that fits in those values,” Brett said. “I feel really lucky to be a part of aviation, which I like to do to make a living, and have bosses who like to do philanthropic work.”
Augusto and Pedro will undergo five to six series of smaller, safer procedures, hopefully leading to total separation in about six months. Connor Air played just a small part in giving the twins a chance for a brighter future.
We hope to provide an update on the twins’ progress if and when we can. In the meantime, we wish the boys and their family luck on their challenging journey ahead.