By Stephanie Jendrzejewski, Development Manager, PALS SkyHope
This year marks 15 years of PALS SkyHope — and one of the most meaningful initiatives to take flight in that time is PALS for Patriots. This program provides free air transportation to veterans and active military personnel who need access to life-saving medical care, morale-boosting events like Major League Baseball games where they are honored as heroes, and healing retreats that support reintegration into civilian life.
Since its launch in 2011, PALS for Patriots has completed more than 2,600 flights, serving more than 600 individual veterans and service members. These missions help remove the burden of long, costly travel, allowing veterans to focus on their recovery, their health, and their futures.
One of those veterans is De’shawn.
A proud post-9/11 veteran, De’shawn has flown with PALS SkyHope five times since 2018. Each of his flights takes him from Maryland to the Travis Mills Foundation in Maine, a retreat center built to empower recalibrated veterans and their families. There, veterans find a community of peers, physical and emotional support, and tools to help them thrive in life after service.
For De’shawn, these trips have been more than just travel — they’ve been a lifeline. They’ve given him the space to reconnect, reflect, and push forward with strength and dignity. Despite the challenges he faces, De’shawn continues to move forward — and we are honored to stand with him on that journey.
PALS SkyHope exists to make these moments possible. Whether it’s a child headed to cancer treatment, a rare disease patient traveling for surgery, or a military family finding healing at a retreat, we believe no one should miss a vital appointment or opportunity for healing because of transportation barriers.
As we celebrate 15 years of PALS SkyHope, the work of PALS for Patriots stands as a powerful example of how aviation, compassion, and community can come together to change lives.
We salute De’shawn and every veteran who has trusted us to be part of their journey. Your courage is our cause — and our wings are always ready.