STORIES OF HOPE

By Leah Czerwinski In February of 1997, Molly Saper’s life changed forever. Saper and her friends went to Ellicottville for a weekend ski trip. When they arrived, they decided to walk into town to grab something to eat. During this walk, the Buffalo native was struck by a car. She…

“It means everything to me that Mercy Flight was there to help my newborn son in his time of need. There was great teamwork with Children’s Hospital, and it was a rapid flight that meant the absolute world to our family. We owe so much to Mercy Flight for their…

Nathan Andera has made miraculous strides since an accident in his home back in May of 2017 that nearly took his life. He was just 15-years-old. “He’s come so far, and is still making progress,” says his mother, Cathy. Nathan suffered a critical head injury to the right side of…

Doctors told the family of Calib Wells that he would never be able to see or speak after a traumatic brain injury. “Mercy Flight got him to where he needed to go, and we knew he had a fighting chance,” says Calib’s mother, Theresa. It was September 11, 1998 when…

Maria was just thirteen-years-old when she was camping with family friends eight years ago. A young boy at the campsite discovered a gun and accidentally shot Maria in the leg. The bullet shattered Maria’s femur and pierced her femoral artery, causing life-threatening bleeding to occur. Maria’s sister called 911 and…

Maverick was just 8-months-old when a family dog suddenly bit him, causing serious trauma to the left side of his face and ear. The severity of the bite required immediate facial surgery and specialized care. Maverick and his mother, Erika, were rapidly airlifted by Mercy Flight to the Genesee County…

Stacey Eastman was in the wrong place at the wrong time when tragedy struck. It was October 16th, 2012 when she was driving home after running errands, and needed Mercy Flight’s critical care. "I was heading back home after picking up a pizza and a girl driving down the hill…

Since her first visit to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Caylee has had ten bowel reconstruction surgeries and numerous other medical procedures. Currently, she and her family travel to Pittsburgh every other month for doctor appointments. The in-between times, when Caylee falls violently ill after appearing healthy, are when…

Steven and Debby of Gowanda were overjoyed by the birth of their son, Nathan. After a relatively routine labor and delivery, worries developed as nurses discovered abnormalities within Nathan’s chest. At just two days old, doctors found that Nathan had suffered a collapsed lung and required immediate medical intervention from…