South Texas' Nonprofit Air Ambulance
On December 30, 2022, what began as a typical day quickly turned into a life-or-death situation for Jane Wilson, a resident of Orange Grove, Texas. Experiencing severe neck and shoulder pain, along with impaired vision, Wilson immediately reached out to her family for help. Recognizing the urgency, they dialed 9-1-1 and she was transported by ground ambulance to CHRISTUS Spohn in Alice, where doctors diagnosed her with a massive heart attack.
For Jane, every movement leading up to her heart attack was critical. The CHRISTUS Spohn medical team wasted no time in contacting the HALO-Flight communications center, which promptly dispatched a flight crew to transfer Jane to CHRISTUS Shoreline in Corpus Christi. The journey from Alice to Corpus, which would have taken 48 minutes by ground, was completed in a mere 18 minutes by air.
Jane was greeted by the Alice flight crew, Megan and Kym, who swiftly prepared her for transport. Kym, HALO-Flight Paramedic, recalls the calmness and bravery exhibited by Jane during the ordeal. "She did not seem to be afraid in any way," Kym said. "Her family has an amazing bond with her and her husband had us all giggling before we left the hospital." Daughter Lara Gunn said, “We knew she was going to be in good hands” and felt a sense of peace when the HALO crew arrived.
Since her air ambulance ride, Jane Wilson’s road to recovery has been challenging. Her family shared that she almost had to utilize HALO-Flight's services again the following week and had multiple hospital visits during the first six months. Despite facing cognitive issues, Jane fondly remembers her air ambulance ride as "cool!" “It was really cute to see all the little houses and cars and by the time I knew it, I could see the gulf.”
Almost two years later, the HALO-Flight crew had the opportunity to reunite with Jane and her beloved family. Shannon Garcia, Marketing Director at HALO Flight, expressed the significance of these reunions, stating, "We really embrace these moments, sometimes we even cry with the families hearing their traumatic experience and feeling the appreciation in their voice. This full circle moment is healing for our crews, patients, and their families." The Gunn and Wilson family expressed their gratitude to the HALO-Flight crew.
“I would like the HALO-Flight crew to know how thankful I am they saved my life!”
