We’d sit in the wide open window for hours every night and watch the planes come in. Mom was at work and dad was a thousand miles away in Florida. Who was going to make us stop dreaming and go to bed? Why would they? We were caged birds singing our songs and it was beautiful.
Getwell Gardens was a public housing development situated about three blocks from Memphis International (MEM) and the FedEx Hub. Living on the landing side of the airport, we were so close I never saw a plane that didn’t have landing gear down. It took an encyclopedia (WorldBook) for me to learn that the gear wasn’t always down.
In short, we were addicted to planes. When you’re living in those conditions, you need an outlet. You need hope. If you don’t have hope, you’ll root down into your circumstances and get stuck. Your soul will wither and you’ll think this is all you should ever know. You’ll die long before your death. We had our planes and encyclopedias.
We would sit up and imagine all of the amazing places the rich people from the other side of town were returning from. We went over all of the fun and wild things they had done on their travels. We even discussed all of the wild and zany things that were passing through the FedEx Hub that Mom worked at during the night.
Then we planned all of the places we would go someday and the things we would do when we got there. It was all imagination but, it was enough to keep us going when the circumstances would have stopped us.
The only one of us that had ever been on a plane was Brandon. We were born in the port city, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Shortly after birth, the doctors knew something was different about Brandon. He got sick very easily and very often. After a barrage of tests, they delivered a hard message to my 22yo mother of three. Brandon was diagnosed with congenital neutropenia. If she did not get Brandon to St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital in Memphis, he would not live to see age one. My mom had never even left south Florida.
There was no time to waste feeling sorry and dejected. Moves had to be made immediately.
St. Jude… Everything you’ve heard is real! I’m actually fighting tears as I type this. We all know I don’t have the money to replace this Surface right now.
When St. Jude got the call, they immediately moved into action. They told my mom not to worry about a thing beyond keeping a smile on Brandon’s face. They have a system in place with their partners. EVERYTHING is covered. From the flight to lodging and everything between, it’s covered.
St. Jude stepped in to save my brother and their partner Northwest Airlines (now Delta) made certain my mom and brother were there every time St. Jude called. They called OFTEN.
Brandon would often tell us about the flights and how friendly the staff was. He loved the flight attendants and how they would give him as many snacks as he liked. I can only imagine the comforting support those flight attendants gave to so many families
From his first flight, Brandon was infatuated with travel. It didn’t take long for the wanderlust to spread. My first trip was the move from Miami to Memphis. Mom had decided it would be better to relocate in order to be closer to St. Jude as there were times Brandon needed to be rushed to the hospital.
Our first trip for leisure would come later, much later. Our first trip would be a church bus trip to Chicago to sing and it was a BLAST! Our first flight came a couple of years after that when we drove to Nashville (BNA) to fly to Fort Lauderdale (FLL) for the summer. Unaccompanied minors, you’d think we would be terrified. NOPE! My little brother had already told us what to expect and flight attendants take special care of unaccompanied minors.
Nashville (BNA) to Tampa (TPA) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL) was may first flight. It’s true what they say. Some of us have something buried deep in us and once it’s tapped the wanderlust takes us. Planes, trains, or automobiles… Whether it was across town or across country, I needed to get out and see the world.
Here it is, years later and I’ve been on more trips than Mrs. Frizzle and crew. First road trip (car): Miami to Memphis. First flight: Nashville to Fort Lauderdale. First bus trip: Memphis to Chicago.
Years (and many trips) later, I’m still that kid looking out into the night sky and wondering where wandering will take me. Wondering what amazing people I’ll be able to take on the journey with me. 
Who knows what’s next… Let me reach up my sleeves and see what’s in store. I hope the world is ready. 😉
I owe a special debt of gratitude to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Delta Airlines. I could never repay you for teaming up to save my little brother. Thank you!
Randy Runs 