“Boy to Get Special Care Because of Friendly Pilot” from the December 26, 1961 Door County Advocate
Boy to Get Special Care Because of Friendly Pilot
By SARAH MAGNUSSON
It’s a pleasure to tell the following story. The candles of Christmas shine even brighter because of it.
The story began because of an Island grandmother’s hospitality and good cooking. A longtime summer resident and his wife, who often fly here with a friend who is a pilot, asked to stay with her when came from Chicago to the Richter’s anniversary party. The good cook’s daughter offered to pick them up, at our airport.
Our central character now enters — the good cook’s eight year old grandson, a boy with quiet manner and a wide smile. He has always walked with some difficulty, but that hasn’t bothered his smile.
To continue — when his mother went to pick up the visitors, the boy, very much interested in aircraft because his father has been in the Air Force, naturally was right there too, and was introduced to the pilot.
Thus by chance the cast of our drama came together, and found they liked each other, and we suspect that by the time the plane was ready to leave next day this story was secretly unfolding, because the boy was given a short trial flight and asked if he would like to fly to Chicago some day.
His reply must have been the right one. In a few weeks a letter came from the visitors, telling of a specialist near them who corrects walking difficulties. Our boy has been offered a diagnosis there. He and his mother fly part of the special round trip as guests of the pilot, and at their destination they will be house guests of the other two of this understanding trio.
It’s a good story to hear. Even the little aircraft suits the mood Bonanza—from Latin meaning “good.” And our heart goes out to the pilot, who offers this gift to our Island boy as if to a child of his own.
Courtesy of the Door County Library Newspaper Archive
Articles by Sarah Magnusson
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