Organization Creating Scholarship In Honor Of Tyrell Rhodes

For the past two years, Tyrell Rhodes faced cancer with a determination and an optimism that were typical of the young man who had been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy when he was only two. In the early hours of September 4th, and with family by his side, Ty passed away at age 21. While the loss is tragic, what can be remembered is not the struggle he endured with little complaint, but instead his joy in becoming a licensed pilot through Able Flight.

In a news release, Able Flight said Ty was "the perfect example of someone who lived his dream by earning the right to experience the freedom of flight." He was a member of our Class of 2012 which trained at Purdue, and later, Able Flight continued to support his plan of a lifetime in aviation with scholarships to support his college training in aviation studies. 

Throughout high school Ty was known for studying books on flying whenever he had a spare minute, and then he discovered Able Flight, and in his scholarship application essay he wrote:

“I’ve been mesmerized by planes since I was a toddler. I remember lying on my trampoline, watching planes fly by for hours, saying to myself “Wow, that’s what I want to do.” Every year we attend the local air show and I’ve never gotten tired of seeing the precise formations of the Thunderbirds, or ducking as the heritage flight screamed by me. At a young age, I knew I was born to fly!

"At the age of two I was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. I wore braces and used a walker. One day, I saw the movie Forrest Gump which inspired me. I watched the movie many times and wanted to be like Forrest. Like him, I would run out of my braces and go on to do great things. With the bar set high, I was determined to one day soar above the clouds, like the jets I saw from my own backyard.”

In his memory, Able Flight is creating the Tyrell Rhodes Memorial Scholarship to be funded through private donations.

You can support the effort by making a donation of any amount in his name. "With your help, the legacy of this remarkable young man will live on, allowing others to face their own challenges and become a pilot," the organization said.

FMI: https://secure.donationpay.org/ableflight/ableflight.php