News and updates from Paul and Cathy Middleton, serving in southern Africa.

11 February 2013

Stormy Monday Blues

We were recently asked by the South African Police Service to help transport, Errol, an officer who had been shot whilst on duty eleven years ago.

He had undergone surgery a number of times with limited success but needed taking from his home in Kwa Zulu Natal to the hospital in Pretoria. This would usually be a slow eight hour drive but we could fly him there in just over an hour. As he finds sitting very uncomfortable, the only realistic option was lying down in our aircraft.
The little red triangle on the map above doesn't look like much but it still took four hours to navigate and actually gives an idea of the scale of South Africa.

Paul knew that getting Errol in and out of the plane would be hard work so he got some help in the shape of Roger, the Mercy Air US Board Chairman, who was in SA and who just happens to be an ER Doctor - handy.
  
The transfer from car to plane and back took six people.
 
But once on board he could travel in relative comfort.
 
The weather wasn't completely compliant and we had to do quite a bit of storm dodging on the way.
 
This did allow us some impressive views between cloud layers though towards the end.
Thank you,

Paul and Cathy

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