Pilot Helps Congo On Wings of Hope

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By Laura Kennedy

Story Published: Jan 9, 2011 at 6:58 PM MDT

Story Updated: Jan 10, 2011 at 12:13 PM MDT

BILLINGS - Wings of Hope pilots work in very remote area of the world bringing medical assistance and aide to those in need.

When Dustin Smith earned his pilot's license at age 17, he knew he wanted to use it to help the world. After studying and teaching aeronautics at Rocky Mountain College, Dustin began working for Wings of Hope. "They called me up, hey you want to go to Congo? I don't know French, but I guess I better learn," Smith said, "This is a good way to see the world and work in the country and get to know cultures and languages and it's really fun."

Dustin flies into isolated areas of the Congo to transport people and supplies. "Living in Congo can be trying at times, but when you actually do a medical mission, like a trauma case, that its really obviously that you're doing what you're supposed to be doing out there, that's definitely rewarding," he said.

"A guy had an amputated left arm due to a crocodile accident next to the river and it was not a fun thing to see, but I was really glad that our airplane was there to help him because without it he definitely would have died," he said.

Smith will live in the United States and fly back to the Congo to work one month a year. "That project's kind of my baby so I want to go back," he said, "I hope to have a relationship with Wings of Hope to continually go back to Congo. He kind of wants to send me to Peru as well so, maybe, I'll go to Peru."

For more information on Wings of Hope, click on Connections.

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Carter Fox said on Saturday, Mar 26 at 11:44 AM

I just want to say congrats to Dustin! I was a fellow student with him at Rocky, and I'm glad to see he is using his skills to help people who need it!

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