Laughlin Airmen give special opportunity to one of their own

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Blake Mize
  • 47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) --  Laughlin Air Force Base Airmen hosted the Air Force's newest pilot here Nov. 20.

Nicholas "Nicky" Pena, 3, was sworn in as an honorary pilot at the 87th Flying Training Squadron. Nicky, who has an anaplastic ependymoma brain tumor, was invited to be a part of Laughlin AFB's Pilot for a Day program.

A host pilot served as his wingman for the day, answering any questions and ensuring he and his family had a day to remember.

"The day was absolutely amazing," said Sabrina Pena, Nicky's mother and a sexual assault response coordinator here. The men and women of Laughlin created a magical day for Nicky and our entire family."

After being sworn in, Nicky and his family were taken on a tour of the squadron. From there, Nicky, Sabrina; his father, Viviano; his brother, Alex and his grandmother, Alpha Yocham were taken to the base fire station for a tour and a glimpse of the training that Air Force firefighters must endure.

"Laughlin's Pilot for a Day program invites children of all ages, military or civilian, to be a guest of one of the base (flying) squadrons for an entire day," said Capt. Eric Bissonette, the 87th FTS. "In doing so, we strive to give each child a special day and a break from whatever challenges they may face."

After the fire station tour, Nicky and his family were shown Laughlin AFB's air traffic control tower and what airfield operations look like from 10 stories high. The honorary pilot had a chance to interact with tower controllers and observe aircraft takeoff and land.

From there, Nicky and his family were also given a tour of the 47th Security Forces Squadron. During the tour, the 47th SFS Airmen put on a military working dog demonstration.

The Pena's then visited a hangar on Laughlin AFB's flightline, where Nicky's "very own airplane" was parked, a T-38 Talon was aircraft inscribed with his name.

After lunch, Nicky had the chance to see the flight simulator that helps train the world's best pilots, which was one of his favorite parts of the day, his mother said.

"I have worked at Laughlin for over 14 years and this reinforced why I am so proud to be a part of the Air Force family," Mrs. Pena said. "Everyone was very understanding and showed tremendous patience with Nicky. It is impossible to express with words how much we appreciate all the hard work and graciousness the 87th showed us. They have blessed our lives."

The 87th FTS really focused on making Nicky feel special, Mrs. Pena said.

"It is a privilege and an honor for (the squadron) to host Nicky and his family and to offer this young hero a chance to experience life as a pilot for a day," Captain Bissonette said. "The support and dedication of all agencies involved was overwhelming and really made the day a success for the Pena family."