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OFF THE RECORD Attorney‘Angel’ Flies to Save Lives By Jessica Lee Freedson Recently, a 35-year-old man and his mother were flown from a small airport in downtown Shreveport, Louisiana to another small airport outside Houston. After landing, the pilot drove both to their hotel in the Medical Center. When this patient was first diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of eight, doctors told his mother to take him home to die. Instead, with the help of Angel Flight South Central, he has fought a 27-year battle against brain cancer that has included countless trips to MD Anderson Cancer Center. This is just one example of the missions that Angel Flight SC pilot and local attorney, Brian Antweil, has flown over the last two years. Antweil, a partner at Haynes and Boone, LLP, began flying in 1983. After less than a year, however, he had to put his fledgling hobby on hold to raise his young children and begin his legal career. “I always knew that I was going to fly. It was just a matter of time,” said Antweil, who began taking flying lessons once again, 20 years later, out of the Sugar Land Regional Airport. Antweil had his private license three months later and has now become instrument certified, as well. In August 2005, Antweil bought a Cessna 182 with a group of four partners. Within months, Antweil began his involvement with Angel Flight SC – as a volunteer pilot and behind the scenes, as well. Angel Flight SC is a non-profit organization that provides free air and ground transportation for the seriously ill to medical specialists in a seven-state region that includes Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, western Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas. It is one of six volunteer pilot organizations that comprise Angel Flight America. Like the patient mentioned above, people with debilitating and often terminal diseases have to travel out of state to access healthcare facilities. Many, however, cannot afford to make the trip that can include airfare, gas and hotels, or they are too ill for long car rides or the inconvenience of commercial air travel. A majority of the medical flights for this region are coming into Houston’s Texas Medical Center. Pilots that fly for Angel Flight do not receive any compensation and usually use their own aircraft to move patients. Before they are allowed to fly, these individuals must comply with a rigorous set of requirements: they must have 250 hours of flying experience, must be rated, have insurance and be certified. Angel Flight SC opened its newest facility in this region of the country last year at Hobby Airport. The new receiving hangar was made possible by charitable donations and provides a safe haven for those passengers seeking a quiet and peaceful journey on their way to medical attention. Antweil’s involvement with the organization originally included helping plan the annual gala in the new hangar facility and has since expanded to include serving as legal counsel for Angel Flight SC. For Antweil, this was an opportunity to “merge my passion for flying with real philanthropy. It was my chance to give back doing something I love.” Antweil also has been able to merge his legal practice with his love of the organization. For example, a large aviation insurance company is a client and through Antweil’s efforts, has become a major donor to Angel Flight SC. The 2007 gala event, partially funded by the donor and organized by Antweil, included guests driven in a Bentley to tour Gulfstream G4, Challenger and Lear planes, while sipping champagne and munching on hors d’ouvres prepared by Tony’s. Inside, a band played while guests participated in a silent auction. Recently, Antweil was honored by Angel Flight with the prestigious President’s Award, in recognition of all his hard work. He plans to help prepare for the 2008 gala, as well as increase the number of missions he flies, all in the hope that Angel Flight SC will continue to soar. Jessica Lee Freedson is an associate in the Business Litigation Practice Group at Haynes and Boone, LLP. |
