Rescue Airmen join kids in their fight against cancer

Published June 21, 2013
By 2nd Lt. Leslie Forshaw
920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- "These things we do, that others may live," is the motto Rescue Reservists from the 920th Rescue Wing live and breathe by in the many aspects they employ to save lives.

The 'things' they do are saving the life of a fellow Marine, Soldier or Airman while under fire in a combat zone; maintaining rescue aircraft in dusty combat locations to ensure they're flight ready at a moment's notice; flying in to rescue those whose homes were destroyed by a natural disaster; and assisting local rescue agencies in a search for a missing person out in the ocean.

Recently, the same reservists who train daily to carry out these life-saving missions were able to give two little boys, who battle daily for their own lives, a day they won't forget.

The boys, Finnian Gerts, 7, and Trevor Scheerer, 5, are fighting cancer-- together.

Finnian, who has been in treatment for almost three years, has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, cancer of the blood and bone. He is responding well to treatment, said Amy Gerts, Finnian's mom.

Trevor has Stage 4 Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma , a cancerous (malignant) tumor of the muscles that are attached to the bones. He is in his second year of treatment for this rare cancer. "Currently those treatments have not been effective," according to Trevor's mom Jody Scheerer. "But, he is about to start a new round of treatments, lasting from 6-12 months after a surgery next month."

The two boys met at Arnold Palmer Hospital in Orlando during medical treatments they were receiving for their illnesses.

Amy, who lives on Patrick Air Force Base with her husband, Dr. David Gerts, a physicist at the Air Force Technical Applications Center here, have three other children besides Finnian--Mirabelle,10; Alexa,14; and Dax, 17.

"Living on a military base intrigued Finnian's friend Trevor, and he loved hearing about the helicopters and planes that fly over our house almost daily," said Amy.

When the aircraft fly over, we tell our son that there are Air Force guys onboard who rescue people when they are hurt, she said.

"He knows that his younger friend Trevor is hurt," said Amy, so he wanted to invite his friend to see the base, and possible meet these "Air Force guys".

"Like typical little boys, Trevor and Finnian love to play G.I. Joe and Army guys so we came up with the idea of giving the boys a chance to be little military guys for a day," said Amy.

Upon approval from their doctors, and some phone calls and emails later, the boys and their families were on their way to visit the rescue professionals of the 920th RQW, and see their equipment to include the aircraft they often see flying overhead, up close.

"This is the last trip we will be able take before Trevor starts his new treatments," said Jody coming from Orlando with her husband, daughter, Emily, 7, and son an hour east to visit PAFB.

So the families pooled together and planned various stops throughout the entire day to visit the 920th RQW and the 45th Space Wing. "You guys have the coolest stuff on base," said Dr. Gerts. "We all have important missions here, but the 920th Rescue Wing has the most visible, accessible and able-to-be experienced mission."

Aircraft maintainers and aircrew on both rescue aircraft, the HC-130P/N King tanker, and the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, pulled out all the stops for the boys and their families to see and experience a behind-the-scenes look at how rescue missions happen.

Their first stop was a rotor-wing rescue refueling plane.

The boys and their siblings were invited onto the flight deck where the pilots control the plane. They were given the chance to put on aircrew headsets and talk via the aircraft communications system with Senior Master Sgt. Eric Draper, King loadmaster, who was below in the aircraft cargo bay. They pretended to be going on an ocean rescue where they had to fly over glaciers and volcanoes to search for sea turtles.

"The laughs and giggles were the best," Draper said. "It was fun."

"It was a chance to help distract the boys from their harsher reality, and to draw out some of the wonder they have," said Draper. "It was by far, the best and most rewarding day I've had in some time."

A rescue helicopter was next on the list.

On the way from the flightline to a hangar, "Trevor kept saying over and over again, 'I was a pilot, mom!' said Jody.

Resting inside an aircraft hangar after a hard night of flying were several Air Force Reserve HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters. A slew of Air Force personnel were waiting. Aircraft maintainers and aircrew, along with wing commander Col. Jeffrey Macrander, showcased another side of combat search and rescue by sharing rescue stories aboard the Pave Hawk.

The boys and their siblings immediately jumped up in the cockpit and "flew" around pretending to look for and rescue people. "Seeing the kids in the pilot seats of the HH-60 was awesome," said Dr. Gerts.

Both boys, though up early that morning, with medicine ports implanted in their chests and battling the heat, were engaged, energetic and ready to be the next pilot, loadmaster, crew chief or engineer.

From the rescue aircraft, the families had one more 920th stop to make, the pararescue squadron.

While boarding the bus, the boys and their siblings were buzzing about the 'guys' they kept hearing about; the guys who jumped out of the aircraft they just played in; the guys who are lifesavers--the G.I. Joes of the Air Force--the Air Force Reserve Guardian Angels.

The group spotted Pararescueman Senior Master Sgt. Mike Ziegler first, recognizing him as one of those 'guys.' Resembling a real-life action figure in his head-to-toe combat uniform and gear, he greeted the families and relayed a dilemma he had. Two of his guys fell out and he needed to find replacements to help rescue two injured pilots.

The boys eagerly volunteered and lit up even more when they saw the rest of the PJs lined up and waiting for them dressed out in full battle gear. Not only were the boy's named team leaders, they were issued kid-sized Air Force camouflaged uniforms, and pseudo military gear to join the team on a rescue mission. The men formed two teams with Trevor and Finnian leading the way, then boarded two awaiting Zodiac boats, making their rescue mission experience authentic.

The inflatable boats with the two rescue teams raced up the Banana River a short distance to "rescue" and medically treat the injured pilots; all the while fighting off "enemy attacks".
The boys and two of their sisters successfully treated, stabilized and moved the patients to the boats for their transfer back to the squadron while fending off several more enemy threats.

"My favorite part of the boat ride was that we got to fake fight!" said Finnian. Trevor had the same sentiments.

According to Jody, Trevor was ready to do it all over again. "He said 'it was the best day ever Mama! Can we do another mission tomorrow?'"

Finally, the boys were lauded by the teams and asked to stand at attention in front of their families to take part in a special ceremony. Ziegler read the creed that indoctrinates men from trainees to actual pararescuemen--naming the boys as honorary PJs, allowing them to wear the coveted maroon beret.

"These men were wonderful! Seeing the smiles on their faces while looking at the boys when we know they are away from their family for months and months at a time was just amazing," said Jody.

"Our daily operations stopped," said Tech Sgt. Joshua Yarbrough, aircrew flight equipment technician. "It was the only thing on our schedule for the day and everyone was eager to be a part of it."

Mission accomplished! Special memories were made that the two families won't soon forget.

"Amy is amazing!" said Jody. "She wanted us to have a day where we didn't think about cancer, yet her son is fighting the same battle."

"It was so nice seeing Trevor and Finnian happy without being sick--no needles, no hospital - just being a five and seven-year-old," said Jody.

For the live-action heroes, it was a different emotion.

"A highlight was watching those two young boys become men for a day and 15 hardened PJs remembering what is was like to be young boys," said Ziegler.

"We cannot describe adequately a thank-you to the men and women of the 920th RQW, and all they did for both families," said Dr. Gerts.

To learn more about the 920th RQW, join our award-winning social media conversation at Facebook and Twitter. To learn more about Trevor and his fight, join his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TrevorsFight