Flight Story #1530
Fort St. John, British Columbia → Vancouver, British Columbia
When Deanna learned that her grandmother’s condition had suddenly worsened, she knew she had to get to Vancouver as quickly as possible.
Just months earlier, her grandmother had been diagnosed with cancer. At the time, Deanna had applied to Give A Mile, but because her grandmother was not yet receiving palliative care, she wasn’t eligible for a compassionate flight. Then everything changed.
After suffering a stroke and breaking her hip, her grandmother began showing signs that she was nearing the end of her life. Doctors weren’t sure she would survive surgery and urged the family to visit to say their goodbyes.
For Deanna, this wasn’t just a visit to a beloved grandmother.
“My grandparents and I have been super close since birth, and they have raised me my whole life.”
After her grandfather passed away in 2008, Deanna continued caring for her grandmother whenever she could.
Then came the words that broke our hearts.
“She has been begging for me to come see her since she ended up in the hospital months ago, and I am the only one she hasn’t forgotten since her dementia got worse.”
Having moved 14 hours away in 2022, Deanna hadn’t been able to see her grandmother in nearly three years.
“I don’t think I could handle the guilt if I didn’t see her.”
Living on disability, every dollar of her monthly income went toward rent and essential bills, leaving no way to afford a last-minute flight.
Thanks to the generosity of Saskatoon Airport, Deanna received a compassionate one-way flight to Vancouver so she could be with the grandmother who had raised her. Her return journey home was made possible through the support of an organization in her local community.
When she learned her flight had been approved, Deanna wrote:
"Oh my God you have no idea how happy me and my family are. Thank you so much for everything that your organization does and to all the donors."
She later added:
“Thank God for kind people like you guys.”
When dementia takes away so many memories, being remembered by someone you love is a gift beyond words.
Thanks to Saskatoon Airport, Deanna was able to answer her grandmother’s call and be by her side when it mattered most.
💙 You can help another family be together when it matters most. Donate miles, points or funds today. ✈️