Friday's Fabulous Flyer
Imagine a little boy who loved
airplanes so much that he not only built model aircraft from kits, but when he
was eight-years-old he bought his brother, Bob, an airplane ride in a Piper
Cherokee for his birthday. That gift to his brother would be Jerry Ward’s first
flight—but not his last.
One of his favorite memories was ten years after that first flight when he was able to take Bob and his
fiancé, Elaine, for a pleasure flight in a very similar aircraft after he
earned his private pilot's license.
Jerry said, “Birthday and Christmas presents were always very easy for me, more
aeroplanes! I had my first one with a glow plug engine a Cox Baby Bee when I
was 10. Thereafter the aircraft, and engines, got bigger and better, some of
them are still in the garage behind me as I write.”
Steve, Tony, Pudsey, Hazel, Jerry 1991
Jerry was destined to be a pilot.
He attended Sheffield University, and joined the University Air
Squadron, and he says he “spent far too much time flying the Bulldog at RAF
Finingley when he should have been studying.”
Jerry, PA474
Flying was a huge part of his life—you might say it was his
life. Upon graduating, in 1981, he went straight to the Royal Air Force
College, Cranwell, to commence his officer training, with the intention of
becoming a fighter pilot.
56th Squadron F3
And a fighter pilot he did become. His last operational role
in the RAF was flying an F3 Tornado fighter on number 43 fighter Squadron
(The Fighting Cocks) during the first Iraq war, Desert Storm, based at Dhahran
in Saudi Arabia. And completed nearly 30 combat missions. From then to the end
of his career with the RAF he became an instructor on the Tornado and
flew the DC3 Dakota and Lancaster with the Battle of Britain Memorial
Flight.
Gulf Crew 1991
The end of his career in RAF in 1997 was not the end to
Jerry’s flying. He joined a holiday tour company, Airtours, and began flying Boeing 757's and 767's.
VE Day May 1995
Today Jerry is 54-years’ old, and
married to Jane, and together they have two children. Today Jerry no longer
flies airplanes.
November is a significant month
for so many. For those of us in the U.S., we celebrate Thanks Giving. For
Jerry, November signifies the moment that changed his life. The month his wings
were clipped.
Jerry Ward’s Last Day at Work:
“I was awake very early, still a little jetlagged having
only been in Las Vegas for one day and Cancun for another, so I got up and went
for a run while it was still cool, and then to the gym for an hour. I then
enjoyed a huge breakfast (not all very healthy) and had a chat with the flight
crew from another company who I had met the previous evening and had a couple
of beers with.
Manchester 2007 the big run
The rest of my crew had only positioned out late the
previous day, so were all fairly tired and sleeping in. I was never a great one
for sitting by the pool doing nothing, so took the local bus into town to go
and look round the markets. Finally meeting up with my crew quite late in the
afternoon by the poolside. It was getting close to having a happy hour beer,
but before that I fancied a swim in the sea, so told the crew I'd be back in
half an hour or so.”
Las Vegas Last Commercial Flight
November 2007, Jerry ward suffered a terrible accident while
swimming in the sea. A wave hit him from behind and broke his neck. He was
laying face down in the sea, when passer-bys pulled him from the water. They
resuscitated him on the beach and kept him alive until paramedics arrived. From
there, intensive care and a life-support ventilator took over
Fresh Air March 2008
Jerry Ward is paralyzed. He was gracious to answer a few
questions for me, and I fight tears as I read his answers.
Karlene: Are you able to use his
hands to write. The answer was no.
Jerry: “All my dictating, e-mails, letters etc is done with Dragon Naturally
Speaking voice recognition software.
I have no ability to use my
hands, no feeling or sensation whatsoever below the very top of my shoulders. I
can move both my arms a little, my right more than my left, but it is described
as "non-functional movement" as I really can't do much with a
‘flappy’ arm, although I do manage to make my arm hit my universal remote
control, which helps me to use the telephone, TV and one or two other things.”
“I guess I've always been fairly restless, never enjoying
sitting doing nothing. So even now confined to a wheelchair, I always want to
find something to fill my time. Being able to access the computer independently
using my assistive technology is an absolute lifesaver.”
Karlene: I cannot imagine going
from the dynamic life you lived, to have it all taken away in a flash. Did you
ever feel like giving up?
Jerry: “Many times in the dark days, either still on
a ventilator or back in intensive care I wondered whether my family would be
better off if I hadn't survived. I knew I was going to be a huge burden with
all the care and looking after I would need. Sometimes it was difficult to put
those thoughts away and my mood dropped, often making me very emotional and
tearful. On one occasion after a serious setback and four months flat on my
back staring at the ceiling in intensive care with a pounding headache I asked
my consultant for something to end it all. But now, approaching five years
after my accident it's much easier.”
First trip to the pub March 2008
Karlene: Your strength amazes me.
Where does your spirit and drive come from?
Jerry: “There is still so much to look forward to, particularly watching my
children grow up and starting out in life. Does that drive come from my
military background? Not sure? But I'm sure it probably helps. I think my
family are born fighters, since my accident two of my three brothers have
developed cancer from which fortunately they are both in remission, sadly, my
third brother Steve died of a chest infection in Hong Kong two years ago. I
also believe a sense of humor (however warped) is incredibly important, and
having happy, cheerful people around me, particularly my care givers who are so
close to me is hugely important. Having (and needing) 24/7 care it would be
horrible not to get along with whoever is with me, in many ways it is more
involving than a marriage!”
Family skiing 2005
Karlene: When something like this
happens, it happens to the entire family. What are the particular challenges
and how are you dealing with them?
Jerry: “In many ways, the family and I are still getting used to me being in a
wheelchair, despite the physical alterations around the house there are so many
other subtle changes. Particularly now that we have to have some sort of a
routine to get my day started, it takes 2 care givers a couple of hours to get
me washed, dressed and up in my wheelchair. I try not to let my disability
(huge) interfere with Jane and the children getting on with their lives,
holidays and suchlike.
50th Birthday
I'm not yet ready to undertake a big trip away from the
house for a week or so, as so much equipment is needed to look after me, and in
any case the children are now 20 and 22 so wouldn't want to go on holiday with
dad and mum! But going out for meals, the shops, the cinema and things like
that is now quite straightforward and the children particularly have adapted so
well to me following them in the wheelchair. It must have been particularly
tough for them at 15 and 17 seeing their father who was always so active, lying
motionless, unable to talk, eat or drink with the horrible noise of the
ventilator. But one thing in particular I remember so well, when we had a
family meeting with the clinical director of the Northwest spinal unit, and Sam
asked, "Will dad ever be able to come home?" Not surprisingly, he
thought I would be spending the rest of my days in a hospital bed. I was so
proud to have him walking next to me as I carried the Olympic flame this summer.”
There is so much more to this man
and his fighting spirit, that I cannot do justice. Jerry Ward is an amazing
man. You can read more by clicking HERE and visiting his website and see what
he is doing today.
I have to wonder how a family
financially survives when something like this happens to the breadwinner. Among
other challenges, I know this is a constant struggle. Jerry has a link on his website for his Trust. Something that a pilot has a difficult time doing—asking for
help.
I know Jerry would love to hear
from you. It’s the people, and the encouragement they give, that keep us going
when days are dark. We are not in this alone in this life, either are you
Jerry. Hang in there my friend. Each day will continue to get easier.
Enjoy the Journey.
XO Karlene
