Story from Driscoll Children’s Hospital: Pilot Javier Garcia has a special mission — delivering care to South Texas kids

PilotJavierGarciastillrememberstheearlyTexasmorningwhenhegotanurgentcall. “Iwasonthephonewiththehospital,andtheyneededasurgeonbackinCorpusforanemergencysurgery,”hesaid. Thatcallsethisdayinmotion. Ashepreppedhisaircraftatdawn,Garciafelttheweightandwonderofhisrole.“Itissuchanawesomefeelingtobeaconduit—helpingtotransportthesedoctorsandmedicalstaffsothatkidsgetthecaretheyneed,”heexplained. ForGarcia,eachflightcarriesastory,andeachtakeoffisapromisetoreachthosewhoneeditmost. Everyweekdaymorning,severalsmallplanestakeofffromCorpusChristitoserveSouthTexas.DriscollChildren’sHospitalusestheseaircrafttomovedoctors,nurses,surgeonsandotherkeymedicalstaffandresourcesacrossasprawling33,000-square-mileregion. Formanyfamilies,along,gruelingdriveforcarewouldbethenorm.Instead,thehospitalbringsexperthelpdirectlytothem.Driscoll’sfleetfliestokeylocationssuchasMcAllen,Harlingen,L