Key West Pilot Marks Volunteer Milestone
Sam Samaha to be honored for transporting Angel Flight Southeast patients to far-from-home medical appointments.
Patients with rare or complicated medical conditions may have to travel hundreds of miles to reach lifesaving treatment. Fouad “Sam” Samaha of Key West, is one of 650 volunteers who donate planes, fuel and time to make sure those Angel Flight Southeast passengers get the care they need while alleviating travel hardships.
On Friday, April 7, Samaha will be honored for surpassing 100 missions, at the Dr. Franklin G. Norris Pilot Awards Gala, to be held at the River Ranch Resort and airport (2RR) in River Ranch, Fla.
Samaha, who flies a Cessna is based out of Key West International Airport. He has been flying for Angel Flight Southeast since 2005 and was the 2014 Pilot of the Year, the highest honor for the organization’s volunteer pilots.
“Our Angel Flight Southeast pilots may fly passengers multiple times and often become friends with the people whose lives they are helping save,” said Steve Purello, CEO of Angel Flight Southeast, based in Leesburg, Fla. “The pilots often say their reward is the smile or hug from the passengers but this recognition is our way of thanking them for their unselfish dedication to our Angel Flight Southeast passengers.”
For information about the event or to learn more about Angel Flight Southeast, please call 352-326-0761 or visit http://www.Angelflightse.org/events.
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About Angel Flight Southeast
Angel Flight Southeast, Inc. is a non-profit volunteer pilot organization that provides free air transportation throughout Florida by private aircraft to distant medical facilities when commercial air service is not available, impractical or simply not affordable. Angel Flight Southeast is a member of Air Charity Network, an association of charitable aviation organizations comprised of more than 7,500 pilots and who represent over 90% of all charitable non-emergency flights flown in the nation. Angel Flight Southeast has won the seal of approval from Independent Charities of America recognizing Angel Flight Southeast as a good steward of the funds it generates from the public.
Congratulations, Sam. Your skills, no doubt, have saved lives and made many people extremely grateful and happy. Angel Flight is a great group of pilots.