NORWOOD, MASS. (WHDH) - A 90-year-old Korean War Army veteran received the flight of a lifetime Friday with Dream Flight, an organization that honors military veterans and seniors with a free flight in a Boeing Stearman biplane.
Joe Tetrault climbed into the open cockpit of the restored World War II-era biplane, taking to the sky for a 15 minute flight around Massachusetts. Tetrault’s family said he served in the Army from 1952 to 1954, stationed in Germany and Italy.
“It brings me back to the younger days when I was a kid that I flew on this plane,” Tetrault said.
“Seeing him take off was just exhilarating and, how many days does he have left? Achieving this at 90 is pretty awesome,” said Chrissie Angelini, Tetrault’s daughter.
Tetrault said one of the highlights of his flight was being high in the air above Gillette Stadium.
“The many times I’ve been there I was just a kid,” he recalled.
Dream Flights also flew 94-year-old Joan Stafford, who said she decided to take the flight in honor of her later husband who also served in the Army.
“It brought back memories of my husband and his interest in flying,” Stafford said. “He went in because he felt like it was his duty.”
“As we make these heroes wishes come true, our Dream Flights inspire them to share their stories. We collect, preserve and share those stories of how they survived through times of great strife to remind us of our shared humanity, our connection to each other and the value of listening,” Dream Flights said on their website.
“It’s very addictive,” said Jeff Klosky, a Dream Flights volunteer pilot. “I keep coming back. This is my sixth season doing it, and just to put a smile on a veteran’s face – it’s just worth everything we do.”
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