Richard Smith
Mercy Flight™ Southeast and the Georgia Transplant Foundation
–– By Michelle Abbott
 It's 3a.m. and the phone is ringing. For most people, this is an annoyance. For Mercy Flight™ Southeast pilot, Richard Smith, it's an opportunity to help someone in need of quick transportation, probably a patient awaiting organ transplantation. Mercy Flight™ Southeast is a non-profit organization that arranges free air transportation by private aircraft to distant medical facilities when commercial service isn't an option.
As a child, Richard wanted to fly jets for the Air Force, but his eyesight kept him from fulfilling that dream. Instead, he learned to fly in his 30's when his career and family life finally allowed him to make the monetary and time commitment needed to fulfill his dream and fly. He trained locally at Peachtree-Dekalb Airport where he now houses his Piper Malibu Mirage. For Richard flying has become "…a passion, almost an obsession. I really enjoy it."
Richard has three grown children and six grandchildren. He is a partner in an Atlanta-based law firm along with two of his children. His family is very supportive of his work with Mercy Flight™ Southeast and his wife often flies with him. His son and daughter help cover at the law firm, allowing him to make even more flights. The Smith family knows firsthand how valuable Mercy Flight™ Southeast services can be.
One of Richard's daughters became very ill and needed a small intestine transplant. Her surgeon wanted her to stay at the transplant center in Pittsburgh until an organ became available. Not wanting her to be separated from her two young daughters for such a long period of time, Richard offered his flying skills and promised he could return his daughter to Pittsburgh in less than fours hours when the organ became available. Today, Richard's daughter is the recipient of a successful transplant and is doing well.
According to Richard, "It made me very aware of the necessity of transplant patients to have quick access to transportation." Mercy Flight™ Southeast ground personnel know of Richard's personal interest in transplant-related flights and his willingness to fly on short notice. Because of this, many of his flights are transplant-related.
One of Richard's most memorable flights involved a young girl living in the Atlanta-area. When she and her foster mom needed to travel to Miami for her five-organ transplant, Richard got the call at 3 a.m. and had them in the air before six. Despite the adversity she had faced or because of it, she was a remarkable young lady with a very positive attitude. According to Richard, "She is one of the most delightful people I've ever met."
Although Mercy Flight™ Southeast is only able to transport medically stable patients, the service they provide is invaluable. They regularly fly patients and families from areas that lack good access to commercial flights or need quick transport. When asked what he would tell pilot's considering Mercy Flight™ Southeast missions, "It is very rewarding to know that you were able to help in some small way."
In addition to his work for Mercy Flight™ Southeast, Richard is also a strong supporter of the Georgia Transplant Foundation. For more information, visit www.gatransplant.org .
|