LEESBURG, Va. — Seven senior veterans who took the flight of a lifetime are getting us uplifted.
Thanks to an organization whose mission is to give back to those who gave so much, the veterans got to experience the excitement of a 20-minute flight soaring 1,000 feet in a restored World War II-era biplane at the Leesburg Executive Airport.
The plane itself is an iconic, open-cockpit biplane that was piloted by the founder of Dream Flights, a nonprofit organization that honors the service of senior veterans.
The senior veterans — the oldest is 94 — served in varying wars, branches and ranks. They were sent off one-by-one to take flight into the sky. The veterans were also treated to breakfast and lunch and were met on the ground with a hat signing ceremony, a certificate of their service and fellow veterans and team members who couldn't wait to hear all about their experiences in the air. In short, they were treated like the living heroes they are.
The flights were made possible thanks to a partnership between several different associations and Dream Flights.