By Colin McEwen
Record-Courier staff writer
As the deafening roar of helicopter blades sliced through the air and the Robinson R44 Raven lifted from Portage County Airport, Don Stombaugh left his worries and pain on the ground below.
The 42-year-old Shalersville man has had difficulty doing many things since he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease two years ago. With each passing day, the disease limits his muscle functions more and more.
Confined to a wheelchair, Stombaugh needs help getting dressed, eating and taking baths. He speaks to his mother, Charlotte Smith, through a special computer.
He and his family got some relief recently when Robinson Visiting Nurse and Hospice stepped in to help.
Social worker Carolyn Mitchell said the once active thrill-seeker told her some of the things he'd like to do in his lifetime.
One of his wishes was to leave his wheelchair behind and soar through the clouds in the seat of a helicopter.
Mitchell called the hospice volunteer coordinator, Bernadette Thomas, and the two of them arranged Stombaugh's helicopter flight. Thomas contacted John Siman, manager of the Portage County Airport, who contacted pilot Ron Fuller. The longtime pilot volunteered his time and helicopter, and the date was set.
The news was returned to an ecstatic Stombaugh family, and after a few weather cancellations, the entire cast met on the runway of the Portage County Flight Center earlier this month to make Stombaugh's dream become a reality.
"He's never got to do anything like this before," said his mother, with tears welling in her eyes. "It's something he's wanted to do, so we want him to do it. This was a thrill of a lifetime for him."
The trip was an escape for the man who was once an athletic pitcher on his little-league baseball team.
Stombaugh's father, Jack, died two days before Christmas, and Stombaugh was unable to express his sadness.
The helicopter lifted without delay just after mid-day and sailed toward Cleveland.
In the first of several trips of the afternoon, Mitchell and Stombaugh saw Cleveland Browns Stadium from thousands of feet above.
"It was fantastic," said Stombaugh after his afternoon of rides finished. He also expressed deep appreciation for those who had made this a possibility for him.
His sister, Brenda Linton, said the family wants to do everything they can with him. They took him on a gambling trip to West Virginia shortly after he was diagnosed.
"He knows everything that's going on," she said. "He gets frustrated because of things he can't do. We try to cram everything in that we want to do with him."
Mitchell said there were two things on Stombaugh's initial wish list. The first was to take a helicopter ride. The second was to skydive. He hasn't yet ruled that out.
"You see people go through a tough time," said Mitchell. "But he still has a smile on his face. We had a great time " he was laughing and smiling the whole time."