Mercy Air, a vital air medical service, recently celebrated 35 years of providing lifesaving care across California and Nevada at an event held at the Apple Valley Airport.
The event highlighted the critical role Mercy Air has played in emergency medical care, with bases in Victorville, Hesperia, Barstow, and Big Bear.
A significant moment of the celebration was the reunion of Luke Haas, a former pediatric patient, and his family with the Mercy Air crew who helped save his life. In June 2022, Luke, then 13, suffered severe spinal injuries in a bike crash, requiring immediate airlifting to a trauma hospital.
His mother expressed gratitude to the flight paramedics and nurse who assisted him, acknowledging their life-saving care.
Mercy Air, which began operations in 1989, has grown to serve rural areas without requiring memberships, becoming an indispensable part of the local healthcare infrastructure.
The program’s success is rooted in strong partnerships with first responders and local agencies, providing essential medical services to those in need.