A group of local pilots is preparing for takeoff this Thursday, but this flight is far from routine.
Four pilots from Cape Coral, Punta Gorda, and North Port have banded together to pack their planes with essential supplies for the victims of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina.
It all started when Michael Messina flew into Spruce Pines in Avery County on Monday and was struck by the devastation he witnessed.
"It was nothing. Completely cut off. There was nobody there, no aid, no assistance," Messina said.
Moved by the desperate conditions, Messina immediately felt compelled to do more. He texted a group from his church asking for donations, and within just 24 hours, the response was overwhelming. With more supplies than his plane could carry, Messina reached out to a local pilot Facebook group for additional help.
That’s when Phil, Carlo, and Emil joined the mission.
"Everybody just showed up, which was pretty cool," Messina shared. "It's really encouraging to see how eager people are to help, even when they’re so far away."
Hurricane Helene has left a deep scar on the Southeast, cutting off access to many areas. With roads blocked and infrastructure crippled, flying supplies into affected regions has become one of the quickest ways to provide aid to those stranded by the storm.
Messina and his fellow pilots have coordinated their flights with locals on the ground to ensure that the right supplies reach the areas where they’re needed most. Once they land at the closest small airports, helicopters will take the aid even deeper into the hardest-hit zones.
"We’re constantly in contact with people on the ground. We ask them, ‘What do you really need right now? What’s absolutely essential?’" Messina said. "They told us, 'We’ve got water and diapers coming in, but we need things like camping materials, chainsaws, food, fuel, and medical supplies.'"
The team has gathered an impressive collection of primary aid materials, but now they face another challenge—logistics. With so many donations pouring in, they’re calling on additional pilots to help transport the goods.
"We’re going to pack as much as we can into these planes, but we’ll need multiple trips or more pilots. We need more pilots. Come help!" Messina urged.
As these pilots continue their missions, they’re sending a powerful message: in times of crisis, ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference.
"If we can help one or two families, it’s all worth it," pilot Emil Beresford said. "God forbid one day it could be us on the other side."