The Brightside: Soaring high in the sky

DOVER, Del. – A lot of us have bucket lists, and those dreams of crossing things off that list don’t stop when you’re a senior citizen.

At least they didn’t for 99-year-old WWII veteran, Leon Hart.

“I don’t have that many opportunities left, and I was so glad to be able to take the ride,” said Hart.

That ride was in a biplane. It’s an experience Hart dreamt of having 81 years ago, when he enlisted in the B5 program during WWII.

“But as luck would have it, the war was changing in the Pacific, and they had an abundance of pilots, and my class got washed out,” said Hart.

He never made it into the cockpit during the war. Instead, he was transferred to the navy and retired as a Gunner’s Mate. For veterans like Hart, who have big plans of living out even bigger dreams, the Delaware Healthcare Facilities Association is a gateway that helps them turn those dreams into a reality.

“We all are going to age– that’s the beauty of being alive and being human beings. It’s important to realize that just because somebody reaches a certain age, or even a disease stage, that life doesn’t stop, it keeps on going,” said executive director, Cheryl Heiks.

They partnered with Dream Flights to give Hart the ride of a lifetime. Pilot Darryl fisher took a back seat to Hart during their flight. He said its moments like these that make their job well worth it.

“They’re at a point in their life where not a lot is working well for them and they’re not thinking of flying in an open cockpit biplane,” said Fisher. “We come, we expand their horizons, we say thank you, we put a spring in their step, and we honor them and tell them that they’re not forgotten, and they are appreciated.”

And when he turns 100, Fisher said Hart will have the opportunity to soar in the sky every year.

“Our mission is to give back to those who gave, and these veterans, when they get to this age, they’ve given us so much of their service and sacrifice, and we just want to say thank you,” said Fisher.