FAA's newest, oldest PRA lifemember A&P

[david holmes]

It's hard to HUMBLE!!!!!!!!!!!
I'll be 66 this month and I just received my Airframe & Powerplant license/certificate from the FAA and Enterprise/Ozark community college.

I was the only student there that had ENSURE for recess.

At 59 years old I decided I'd had enough of practicing law for half of net income -- taxes, office expenses, etc got the rest.

I bought the first gyro I'd ever seen for $2.5K, took lessons, and flew it ---- hooked -- thanks to Steve McGowan.

I enrolled parttime at the Jr. college -- it's free if you're > 59. And I managed to COMPRESS an 18 month cirricula into 6 YEARS. The only way to finish, is to start. Some days I flew the gyro to school to let the kids see there is life after 60. The kids loved it and my instructors (all younger) just shook their heads.

At 62 I was diagnosed with incurrable prostate cancer and dropped the studies while I muddled around with Dr.s & hospitals. After two years of that I found myself still alive so I decided to return to school and see what happened first -- license or funeral.

Presently, being zapped by Chemo therapy but after this is over I hope to do volunteer work with Wycliff Bible Translators in Wauxhau, N.C. They require an A&P license to work in their hangar.

WHAT's NEXT????

To God be the glory.

[GyroRon]

David, your going to work at Jarrs? That is the place in Waxhax I think your talking about. I live real close and my home airport is real close too. Maybe you should bring one of your gyros so we can do some flying. I got spare room in my hangar if you need a place to store them. Sorry though, it isn't airconditioned or pink! :)

[RayPierce]

It's hard to HUMBLE!!!!!!!!!!!
I'll be 66 this month and I just received my Airframe & Powerplant license/certificate from the FAA and Enterprise/Ozark community college.



Congratulations David!

[david holmes]

Ron,
as you know, JAARS (Jungle Aviation & Radio Service) is a support arm of Wycliff and Wycliff is more widely known so I used their name.
Years ago I volunteered there for a week and I'm hoping to volunteer there again in my old age.

[Harry_S.]

Your a great man, David.

GOD BLESS !!!

[Heron]

Thanks Counselor Holmes . . .
God bless and keep you with us for long!
Heron

[KenSandyEggo]

Alright, fellow old-timer! Sincerest congratulations and best wishes to you. As long as we're bragging, I turned 64 last May and I just received my nursing license from the State of California a couple weeks ago. I finished school in April. I'm in the hiring process at Children's Hospital and will be working in the children's long-term convalescent building which has a little over 50 beds. Within that, I'll be working in the sub-acute room, which now has 5 beds, will have 6 next month and will be expanding to at least 10 in a couple more months. The main building has 2 or 300 beds. These are where the kids who need extra attention are. They don't quite need intensive care, be require a lot of care. All have trachs.

I did a turn during school for some clinical work and fell in love with the kids there. All are developmentaly handicapped, 2 are deaf, 1 is blind and all are fed through tubes in their stomach. In fact, all but about 3 of the 50+ kids are fed that way. I believe that these 3 are the only ones able to talk some. I couldn't get them out of my mind after I left and just knew that I had to work there. Surprisingly, it's not a sad place, as long as you can accept that this is their lot in life and you're going to do whatever you can to make it better. The staff is a bunch of angels, some having worked there for over 25 years. The kids are dressed impeccably every morning. No one lays around in pajamas or robes. A lot of the kids in the building go to school in their wheelchairs and those that can't, get schooling from their own inhouse school.

Counselor, why did it take us so long to finally find something this satisfying to do? But as David and I exhibit, it's never too late. Follow your dream no matter how old you are. I thought of entering nursing over 30 years ago and never did anything about it. I am crawling the walls in anticipation of starting to work with the kids. I have to take a physical, fill out forms, blah-blah-blah, but it won't be long now. :D

[Heron]

I am all misty . . .
Heron

[KenSandyEggo]

Heron, stop it.

[Mike Hook]

Congrats David and Ken.

I am 50 here and still dont know what I want to do when I grow up. :) :) :)

Mike

[Heron]

No Ken . . .I was not joking, matter fact I was choking back the tears, it is beautifull what you guys do.
NOw is a particular emotional time for me, The Olimpics make me very unstable and I cry a lot. When the Flame came to Brazil last month and I saw all the people out in the street cheering it and some people I know carrying it, could not hold back, especially seen Pele' crying like a baby on his run, we was the first to take it out of the Stadium.
You guys are great!
Heron

[Dean_Dolph]

Grow up? Whaz that?

[Heron]

That is called emotions . . .
Missing what you have done your entire life.
Seen friends getting there and doing good with their carriers.
This Olimpics will not have any of my former students, this generation of referees have zero imput from me. I helped 3 guys to make it there . . .it is a wonderfull feeling.
As you know Pele is one of most famous athletes in the world, his emotions when given the Olimpic Flame tells a lot about its meaning. He never went to the Olimpics because of the amateur rule, he turned pro at age 15 and was champion of the world at 16.
I see Ken and David (and you too) as winners, carrying the flame for all to see and remember what life is all about. Overcoming obstacles, for top level athletes staying on top is all about managing pain . . .training is gruesome.
Heron

[rframil]

ken,

i have worked at childrens boston now for 7 years. i can assure you that it will be some the most rewarding times you will experience. good luck Rick

[GyroRon]

Dave when you get out this way make sure to contact me. 803-396-8129 See ya

[KenSandyEggo]

Thanks, Rick and everyone else for their best wishes.

[rfonseca]

I have been in the Board of Directors in the public Children's hospital of Panama for the last 9 years, and it has been worthy every second spent there. Good luck with your new duties, Ken. Is hard to change direction in the middle of our lives. I congratulate you for your choice.