Meet the Team Behind: Miracle Flights

Miracle Flights provides free flights to children in need of medical services that are unavailable in their local area. By connecting kids and their families to life changing healthcare, Miracle Flights is giving every child access to hope and healing. Learn more here!

What is the inspiration behind Miracle Flights? 

We were founded in 1985 on the belief that every child has the right to a healthy life, regardless of income, illness, or distance from medical care. We started flying regionally on private charters, staging a series of popular air shows to raise funds as we grew our network of pilots. As the number of children needing specialty care increased, we started flying commercially across the United States. We are now one of the nation’s leading medical flight charities and are celebrating forty years of miracles this year. 

How does your flight program work? 

We have over 700 flights booked per month, and we’ve travelled over 103,000,000 miles since our first flight. We fly children up to age 17 and two of their parents, guardians, or caregivers at no cost within the continental US. All families apply online each time they need to request a flight, and the treatment site verifies the child’s medical appointment. We fly kids suffering from heart defects, cerebral palsy, scoliosis, severe allergies, lung disease, and more. Each flight represents a journey of courage, a community coming together, and a chance for children to access medical care that would otherwise be out of reach. 

Can you tell me about some of the kids you work with? 

Watson was diagnosed with bilateral clubfoot while still in the womb, and his parents worried that he would never walk, run, or play like other kids. Miracle Flights provided flights to specialists at The Paley Orthopedic and Spine Institute, ensuring that Watson could access the advanced care he desperately needed. Now, Watson is a bold and energetic kid, playing and living as any child should— filled with joy and without limits. Amanda is a 17-year-old diagnosed with an extremely rare form of epilepsy. For years, unpredictable seizures kept her homebound. Thanks to consistent treatments at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital made possible through Miracle Flights, Amanda was able to return to school and is on track to graduate next year. 

How can individuals get involved in your work? 

Miracle Flights alleviates the financial stress of medical travel for families with sick children, providing free flights as many times as necessary, no matter the distance. As a charitable organization, we take immense pride in managing donations in a transparent manner. The contributions from our donors and partners are what drives our impact and advances our mission. Corporate partnerships are crucial for delivering our services, and we are always welcoming companies to join our mission. We also have various events throughout the year. By attending, participating in, or sponsoring our events, you help more families access the care they need.