Real stories and real experiences from patients and families whose lives were changed by our care.

Meet Gavin, an Inspiration to our team.

Twenty-five-year-old Gavin Maloney was spending the weekend at his family camp at Oneida Lake when he decided to take a quick dip in the lake. But when Gavin dove in, he hit his neck on the bottom of the lake and fractured his spine. In shock and unable to move, Gavin floated to the surface of the lake, where his cousin Jenna quickly realized he was badly hurt and jumped in to help him. “I didn’t feel any pain, but I was stunned and in shock,” recalls Gavin. “Jenna started screaming for help and floated me to the dock. I kept telling her that I was fine and then she asked me to wiggle my toes. I said, ‘I am’. And she said, ‘no you’re not’.” Within minutes the ambulance arrived and Gavin was taken to a nearby fireman field clearing where Mercy Flight Central’s helicopter was ready and waiting for him.

“Mercy Flight Central was an absolutely critical link in the chain of getting me the best care,” says Gavin. “Being able to fly in a straight, smooth line for 10 – 15 minutes versus having to go around a lake and driving up to an hour and half on upstate New York rural roads, with a spinal cord injury, was critical to my care and my recovery. Thanks to the philanthropic support of caring people like you, Mercy Flight Central was able to transport Gavin to the hospital in minutes, not hours. And by joining our valued family of donors by making a special tax-deductible donation of $25, $35, or even $50 today you can help other patients like Gavin receive the life-saving rapid transport they need, when they need it most.

Once arriving at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, Gavin underwent the first of many surgeries. And after spending a month in acute care he was transferred to Spalding Hospital in Boston to begin the long road to rehabilitation. “Today, six years later, I am a daily wheelchair user,” explains Gavin.

“I am a quadriplegic, but if you saw me, you wouldn’t think so because I have full use of my hands. Without the immediate critical care I received, I wouldn’t have as much freedom and independence,” continues Gavin who lives on his own, and has regained his ability to drive. Gavin also has been able to return to playing golf (with a Para mobile golf cart), he plays piano in several bands and he volunteers extensively for several non-profits.

“Donations to Mercy Flight Central make all the difference,” continues Gavin. “It could mean the difference between life and death on an idle Tuesday afternoon when you’re sitting in traffic and you get t-boned. Or it could be a heart attack, a stroke or any other emergency situation.”

“When minutes matter and every second counts, Mercy Flight Central is there to help patients when they need it most. They are the unsung heroes of the sky and your generosity makes their lifesaving work possible,” says Gavin.

As a non-profit organization, we can’t do it without you. Your tax-deductible donation today will help us to be ready 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year for the next critical patient in need.

More from some of our patients

  • "She wouldnt have made it. We had everyone telling us she wouldn't have made it if she hadn't gone by helicopter."

    Debbie Effland, Mother of patient Chelsi Effland

  • "When I heard the helicopter coming, I didn’t really know how bad I was, and it was a relief to hear them there."

    Craig Partee, Former Patient

  • "I think they are a good part of the reason why I am still here today. Mercy Flight Central saved my life"

    Andrea Cohen, Former Patient