Passenger Stories

The Story of Teofilos and Evelyn … from the Newsletter

Even families in the health care industry need volunteers!

Some might not think that a family that includes a doctor and three nurses would need the assistance of Mercy Flight Southeast. However, the Quintin family — a group with many connections in the medical field — recently found that even they could benefit from the services of this 20–year–old nonprofit.

It all started when 75-year-old patriarch Teofilo Quintin fell and hit his head. The injury caused a subdural hematoma (a collection of blood on the surface of the brain).

After care in three facilities in Orlando, it was determined that the unfortunate gentleman could receive the best care in a facility near his doctor daughter in Beaumont, Texas.

The problem? Teofilo was on a feeding pump, trach and oxygen. The oxygen transportation alone posed enough of a logistical problem to keep him off a commercial flight — the combination of his needs made it a very difficult venture indeed.

Fortunately his daughter-in-law, Evelyn, had heard of Mercy Flight Southeast. After finding the Mercy Flight Southeast website and, consequently, the email address of our President, Deborah Deal, ceo@mercymail.org, she sent an inquiry.

It took three pilots who donated their planes, fuel and time to get him there, but Teofilo was safely relocated to Beaumont. They were James Neihouse, Scott Sowers, and Irvin Hansen.

“Words can not express how happy, grateful and relieved we all felt when we got him to Beaumont,” Evelyn later wrote in a thank you letter.

“If not for Mercy Flight Southeast we would have been driving more than 14 hrs. Just think of the anxiety level for all that time! My father-in-law is doing well and continues his rehabilitation in Texas. Again, we would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the effort, patience and dedication that you and the pilots gave us. It was the best Christmas gift! When I wrote you an email requesting for help, that was my last try. I thought my email will go to junk email or get deleted. Instead, you called me the next day and gave me hope. This trip made me believe that there are still good people out there. Again, thank you, Mercy Flight Southeast!”