SHAWNEE, Kan. — After learning that a member of the KC Aviators Facebook page was in intensive care fighting for his life after testing positive for COVID-19, a group of pilots took to the sky to show their support.
“We decided we wanted to do a flyover for him and encourage him to get better,” Glenn Bowers, who organized the flight, said.
Evan Shermer was diagnosed with COVID-19 and put on a ventilator at Advent Health Shawnee Mission. The 21-year-old has an affinity for aviation and was in the process of getting his commercial license before he fell ill.
“Last week was grim,” Shermer’s father, Rob, told 41 Action News. “Seeing the number on the news of how many people were dying, we were in a really dark, dark place. The only thing keeping us on was the support of family and friends.”
Shermer’s aviation friends decided to fly over his hospital Friday afternoon and thirteen others for what they called the "Hope Flight."
Eleven pilots from The Beechnutz and the KC Flight Formation Team participated in the effort to lift the spirits of Shermer, other patients, and the doctors and nurses working in Kansas City area hospitals.
“Hopefully, we brought a smile to their face and they can know there are better days ahead and enjoy the airplanes flying by and know we’re thinking of them,” pilot Craig Wilcox, who participated in the flight, said.
According to Sherman’s dad, the flight was accompanied by even better news.
Hours before the planes flew over the hospital, Shermer was taken off of his ventilator.
“He understands what that means, not only for him, but for everyone else,” Rob said.
