Shipper Paid For An Air Ambulance To Allow A 7-Year-Old To Go Home

7-Year-Old Jada Harper had been a student at Green Forest Elementary School in Harrison, Arkansas, until she was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in June. She had been receiving treatment at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX, when she suffered a seizure, fell into a coma, and had to be placed on a ventilator to keep her breathing.

Jada's parents wanted her to spend her final days at home in the Ozarks, but were having trouble finding a way to bring her home.

The Harrison Daily Times reports that Jada was flown home late last week, with FedEx Freight picking up the $11,000 dollar cost of the journey that her parents are unable to afford.

It was the principal at Jada's school who had the connection at FedEx that made the flight possible. She contacted Kelly Madwell, flight operations specialist at FedEx Freight in Harrison, who made the arrangements Thursday. Ken Reeves, vice-president and general counsel of FedEx Freight, told the Daily Times that Madewell "put the whole thing together."

Jada's grandmother Wanda Surface told the paper it all happened very quickly after that. “The next thing we knew, Savannah called us from Houston, and she was crying and crying. She said they had called her to tell her that FedEx had a flight coming to pick her and Jada up and bring them home,” she said.

The paper reports that Doug Duncan, president and CEO of FedEx Freight Corp. in Memphis, and Pat Reed executive vice-president and CEO of FedEx Freight, both approved for FedEx Freight in Harrison to pay for a Medway air ambulance and a medical team, to pick up Jada in Huston for the hour-long flight to Harrison.

Jada’s mother, Savannah, told Reed and Reeves at the airport, “It’s all worked out wonderful. I didn’t think we’d be able to get her here, but luckily, my hometown came through. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.”

FMI: www.fedex.com