One man's gift provides inspiration and hope

  • Published
  • By Greg L. Davis
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Social media has become an inescapable part of our daily lives and has great power to disseminate information, good and bad. Recently, something that came across on social media forced me to reflect in a broader sense of the powers of being connected.

Sometimes as we embark on our daily grind toward surviving or meeting the next goal in life, we can lose focus on what is important to us and how we affect others.

This week my friend posted a photo and note on his Facebook page that stopped me in my tracks. My friend's post also made me realize that even in the worst of times; we can help each other take the next step forward.

My friend Michael "Jorgo" Jorgenson is a former military pilot for Her Majesty's Kingdom and a fellow aerial photographer who currently lives in Australia. He has flown various trainer and attack jets and large tankers for the Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Jorgo has had his ups and downs recently. Compounding his struggle is the lack of a sensible system to transfer his military pilot qualifications into civilian equivalents in Australia. In a nutshell, he's been run over and is just barely making it.

As he explained to me, this week, Jorgo needed some inspiration and friendly camaraderie, so "I popped into the local airport to catch up with some of the old pilots I used to work with many years ago," he said. While he was there a man named Will came in looking to sell some rather pricey pilot gear.

Will explained to the group that he was a private pilot, and he had just accepted a commercial pilot job in Qatar. Will had finally made it and was moving to the big-time after struggling in the past much like Jorgo is struggling now. Jorgo said that Will was looking to sell a high-end active noise-reduction headset that costs nearly $1,000 new, along with other items.

Jorgo continued the story of how he connected with the fellow pilot. He told him of being a former military pilot and he said Will was interested in his story. He also gave him details of his recent retirement from the Air Force, as well as his current struggles to complete his civilian pilot licenses.

In the end, Jorgo realized there would be no way he could buy the headset, but took Will's information with the hope of eventually calling him for a good deal in the future.

Will left and everybody went back to their activities. However, Jorgo said Will returned. "Within thirty seconds, Will strode in, calling my name, with a box in his hand. 'Mike', he said, holding the headset box out towards me, 'This is for you, please take it.'"

"I was almost speechless", Jorgo said relaying the story to me. "I asked if he was serious. He was, and I then offered to give him the money I had in my wallet. He shook his head, and handed me the box."

In the end, the only thing Will asked was that Jorgo have good luck and to keep him advised of his aviation employment progress.

Jorgo quickly sent out a photo of the new headset with his sentiments of gratitude to a world of friends. He reflected afterwards on this experience by explaining; "For a stranger to decide to gift a nearly new 'dream' headset to me, after a chat of only a few minutes, simply blew me away."

Hearing this great news caused me to reflect on why I enjoy being part of the aviation community. The ties between all of us in aviation are great and I have found the aviation community to be one of the most generous, inspiring and close-knit group of people I've encountered.

I was truly happy for my friend and for the injection of positive news via social media. I asked Jorgo how he felt after and what this gift meant to him.

This act of kindness and paying it forward by Will had clearly changed Jorgo's outlook on his current struggles and also inspired him too. "I'm already on the lookout for someone to donate my old, but still functioning headset to," Jorgo concluded.

I too feel more inspired to continue helping those I can in the fields of aviation and photography. I always take time to take someone flying or even wave at them if they are standing near an airfield watching planes. For many years I've mentored up-and-coming photographers. It's these simple, kind gestures that have lasting impacts on people worldwide.