Christmas Eve Angel is Jet Propelled

Christmas is a time when the people of Mildura will have seen angels in the shops; heard choirs singing about angels and listened to the story of Christmas in which shepherds receive a message from angels,  but it is doubtful whether any of them will have seen a Christmas angel that is jet propelled!

Well this year it was different, for at 9.00am on Christmas Eve an angel flew into Mildura in a Piper Meridian jet propelled light aircraft, the only one of its kind in Australia.

But whilst this visitation is quite different from the one in the Christmas story, it brought great joy to Mildura man Robert McKenzie. For Robert was on board this very special Angel flight to spend Christmas at home with his family.

Diagnosed with cancer in early December 2004, Robert had already undergone surgery and received his first course of chemotherapy at the Peter MacCallum Centre in Melbourne. Unfortunately, a combination of circumstances left him and his family unable to afford the cost of a flight home for Christmas before returning to Melbourne for further treatment in the new year.

“It’s all been a bit of a shock to my system and to the family’s,” Robert said.

“I’d just finished work on the Mildura Court House and had started with another company but it went bankrupt just two days before I was diagnosed with cancer. My family have been great but without Angel Flight I would have been stuck in Melbourne away from my family for Christmas.”

Robert said that he is recovering well from the surgery but admits that the chemotherapy is causing him some discomfort.  However, whilst he still has a long way to go with his treatment, he remains positive and is quite overcome by the generosity of the Angel Flight pilot who will be transporting him home.

“Angel Flight pilots are absolutely terrific and I would have been lost without them,” he said.

“I can’t believe that someone would do this at this time of year, the pilot must have a very special heart to give up his time on Christmas Eve to help me. ” 

This story appearing in the Sunraysia Daily News on the 23/12/04, page 2 and the Christmas day edition.

Peter Dawes - Pilot

Angel flight by Peter Dawes
First mission for Peter.

For Angel Flight pilot, Peter Dawes, giving his time on Christmas Eve is seen as a privilege for his first Angel Flight mission.

The owner of a high-tech family business based in Melbourne and with operations throughout the world, Peter uses his very high-tech plane mainly for business trips between Sydney and Melbourne but is keen to use it to help someone in need.

“I found out about Angel Flight just after it was launched last year and registered as a pilot straight away. I have seen missions come up before and wanted to be involved but because I was away on business I wasn’t able to help, so I’m glad I was able to get away for this one and I plan to do more in the new year,” Peter said.

“I have some understanding of what Robert is going through. It’s a traumatic time and I just wanted to do my bit to make it easier for him. I don’t think I’m doing very much but perhaps the flight was a bit of a novelty for him and helped take his mind off things for a while.  It’s the least I can do and I’m just happy I helped him and his family be together for Christmas.”