Nov. 8, 2018
Seven dedicated runners represented Patient AirLift Services (PALS) in the TCS New York City Marathon Nov. 4, raising funds to help PALS in its mission of providing free air transportation for individuals with immediate medical needs such as medical diagnosis, treatment or follow-up appointments.
The PALS in Motion team runners have raised more than $60,000 since their first NYC Marathon in 2016.
“All seven of the PALS in Motion team runners finished the 26.2 mile course,” said Kimberly Langin, Patient AirLift Services marketing and development associate. “FDNY’s Frank Casertano led the group by averaging 08:59-mile times to finish the marathon with a great time of 3:55:27.”
Runners representing the PALS in Motion team were: Michael Frank, a U.S. Air Force veteran and volunteer PALS pilot; Jo Damato, CAM, NBAA senior director of educational strategy; Didier Baco, a pilot at Talon Air at Republic Airport in Farmingdale, NY; New York Fire Department firefighters Richard Capobianco, Frank Casertano, and Peter Delgado; and David Rosquete, a member of the Boston Police Department.
“I was honored to run the 2018 NYC Marathon on behalf of PALS,” Damato said. “I have experienced firsthand how people who have never had to ask for help in their lives were suddenly desperate to find transportation for a loved one that was suffering. PALS understands that business aviation can be a lifeline between connecting pilots and airplanes with people and communities in crisis. The money raised from our running team, PALS in Motion, will have an immediate and direct impact on people’s lives.”
Since its founding in 2010, volunteer PALS pilots have flown more than 19,000 passenger flights and served nearly 4,000 unique individuals. The organization currently has more than 1,300 active volunteers including 650 command pilots.