Two Former Shepherd Patients Awarded Flying Scholarships

December 19, 2006

Contact: Larry Bowie (404-350-7708)

ATLANTA - In a ceremony at Atlanta's Shepherd Center, Able Flight kicked off its national scholarship program by announcing its first two scholarship award winners. Brad Jones is a recent patient at Shepherd Center, a catastrophic care hospital that specializes in the medical care and rehabilitation of people with spinal cord injury, brain injury, multiple sclerosis and other neuromuscular problems. Stephany Glassing has served as a peer counselor at Shepherd Center. With these awards, Brad and Stephany will take part in an intensive and demanding flight training program designed to provide them with a life-changing experience.

"Able Flight's goal is to challenge its scholarship winners so that their own achievements will help them become more self-reliant and confident in their abilities," said Executive Director Charles Stites. "We're very excited about being able to present these awards in conjunction with Jet Aviation, which has generously sponsored both scholarships, Hansen Air Group, which is supplying a specially-equipped airplane for the training, and the people of Shepherd Center, whose inspiring work is reflected every day in the success of their patients."

Brad Jones, 22, became paralyzed in an automobile accident only this past June, and since then has been working to rebuild his life through regular therapy, and with the support of family and friends. For Brad, a major milestone will be achieved when he resumes classes as a junior engineering student at Georgia Southern University next semester. But there was one dream he thought was lost after his accident. Having deferred his goal of learning to fly until he had paid for college, after his injury, Brad had given up his dream of becoming a pilot until a staff member at Shepherd Center told him about Able Flight.

Of being awarded his Able Flight scholarship, Brad said: "Being in a chair instantaneously makes everyday life and events challenging. The challenge of learning to fly will be a difficult one, but upon successfully completing the training, will bring a renewed sense that anything is possible, no matter what other challenges life might have for me in the future."

With more than 22 years behind her since an automobile accident left her paralyzed as a teenager, Stephany Glassing has sought to challenge herself, and by succeeding, to set an example for others who must face the effects of catastrophic injury or illness. She began by earning an education and working to support herself, has served as a peer counselor at Shepherd Center, and has become a world-class athlete in the sport of water skiing as a "sit skier". But Stephany is quick to say that her greatest achievement has been to raise a bright and hard-working daughter soon to graduate from high school.

According to Stephany, "After being interviewed for the Able Flight Scholarship all I could think about was flying! I've known that I've always wanted to learn how to fly, but the reality of how much I wanted this didn't hit me until I had the opportunity to go up and feel the experience first hand! Throughout my journey, I've been able to look back and see stepping stones of events unfold in my life, not always understanding things in the present, but knowing that the mystery would unfold someday. Able Flight is allowing me to still fulfill dreams after being in a chair for 22 years!"

Recognizing the valuable contribution of Jet Aviation, Able Flight's Stites said, "Without the support of companies like Jet Aviation, this would only be a wonderful idea, and not a reality that will soon change the lives of two very deserving and inspirational people. I want to commend Kevin Rodgers, Robert Seidel and Mike Volpe of Jet Aviation for stepping forward and funding the first Able Flight scholarships. How a company chooses to give back to the communities it serves says a lot about the heart of a company, and we're honored to have partnered with Jet Aviation in awarding these scholarships to Brad and Stephany."

"We are proud to sponsor the first two Able Flight scholarships as part of our commitment to education and training of individuals involved in general aviation," said Robert Seidel, senior vice president and general manager of Jet Aviation Business Jets. "Able Flight epitomizes the true nature of aviation and we fully support its purpose of empowering people with the freedom of flight."

Stites added, "We are also very honored to present our first two scholarships to former patients of Shepherd Center, as the real work in helping people rebuild their lives is done by the dedicated and caring people who come to work each day in these buildings."

For Shepherd Center, co-founder James Shepherd said, "It's fantastic that Able Flight and Jet Aviation are providing scholarships and developing a pilot training program for former Shepherd Center patients and others with disabilities. This is a very unique opportunity for a patient who may have had a desire to learn to fly or a passion for aviation before their injury, and an example that there are no limits to life in a chair."

During the awards event, Able Flight also announced that the scholarship won by Brad Jones has been named to honor Clark Harrison, one of the co-founders of Shepherd Center, a paraplegic wounded in World War II who later became a pilot. Presenting the award to Brad was Clark's son Tom Harrison, and Clint Rodgers, who taught Clark Harrison to fly.

About Shepherd Center
Shepherd Center is a private, not-for-profit hospital devoted to the medical care and rehabilitation of people with spinal cord injury and disease, acquired brain injury, multiple sclerosis and other neuromuscular problems. Each year Shepherd Center admits more than 700 patients and conducts thousands of outpatient clinic visits. For more information, visit Shepherd Center online at www.shepherd.org.