Flight Story #1141
From Wichita, KS To Carthage, NC – 15,000 United Miles & $388.98
Raeangela recently enlisted the help of Give A Mile to reunite her with her father at the twilight of his life. Raengela and her father’s reunion is a story of love and urgency.
Raeangela, named after her dad Ray, first met her father when she was 13. Still, it wasn’t until she was 18 that they genuinely started building their relationship. Ray, a Vietnam veteran and truck driver, was always a hard worker, and this determination was the foundation on which they built their new relationship.
Their bond grew stronger as they made time for each other, meeting at truck stops for dinner and conversation. Now a grown woman with her own family, Raengela and Ray’s relationship has become an emotional cornerstone.
Raeangela recently learned her father was in the hospitalized states away from her, fighting multiple major organ failure. Ray called Raeangela, breathless and struggling to speak but with a clear message—he wanted his only child by his side. The timing couldn’t have been worse for Raeangela.
Layoffs and medical complications in her own family left their financial situation tight, making the cost of a flight seem insurmountable. It was at this desperate moment that Raeangela reached out to Give A Mile for help.
It was then that Raeangela reached out to Give A Mile, a beacon of hope in her darkest hour. Their support not only gave her a chance to say goodbye but also to be there for her father, just as he had been for her throughout her adult life.
She was determined to fulfill Ray’s wish to have his daughter by his side in his final days. Give A Mile, a charitable organization that provides flights for people in need, played a crucial role in making this possible. We are so happy we could fulfill Raengela’s request to reunite them during this difficult time.
While this flight couldn’t erase the years they spent apart during Raeangela’s childhood, it provided a opportunity for closure and healing. Despite the obstacles, Raeangela was able to be there for her father, hold his hand, offer comfort, and express her gratitude for his presence in her life. The significance of this moment cannot be overstated.
Dandelions
A little girl always picks dandelions because they don't know they're a weed. I never got to pick dandelions for my dad as a little girl, but I did yesterday.
