Ride of a Lifetime
Ride of a Lifetime
At 84, The Legacy resident Lois Meyer had visited 50 states and 29 countries, but she had never flown by helicopter. That changed May 26 when the Legacy Life Enrichment team arranged for a sky-high helicopter tour of the capital city.
“I wasn’t afraid; I was raring to go,” Lois said. “I was so happy it was happening; it was like I was walking on a cloud. When we were getting ready to lift off, I felt like there was something tugging at me and didn’t want to let go. Then, all at once, we were free.”
The helicopter pilot, 80-year-old Harry Barr, took them over Lincoln’s neighborhoods, the Capitol, Memorial Stadium and familiar businesses.
“It was fun just to look around,” Lois said. “Everything was so green; it was beautiful. The streets were so clean right after we had all that rain. Lincoln has so many more ponds than I realized.”
The idea sparked a year ago when the Legacy Life Enrichment team asked the two-year resident her likes and wishes. She was no stranger to thrilling flights. She recalled accompanying a family friend in a private jet that hit 5 G’s. Another time she rode on a U.S. Army Reserve refueling plane.
“How the planes could stay at the same speed and the same height while refueling was unbelievable,” Lois said.
She treasures the helicopter experience and expressed heartfelt thanks to those who made it possible.
“There are just no words to say thank you,” Lois said. “There are so many people who could have gotten to do what I did, and I got to do it. I was so blessed.”