Joshua Soars

Transforming a “no” into a “yes,” gives Joshua a “Life’s best moment!”

During Joshua’s stay at the diabetes clinic, I spoke privately with his doctor about Joshua’s love for aviation. “I am willing to do anything I have to do to help my son,” I told him, “but I will not tell Joshua he cannot fly a plane. I refuse to destroy his dream.”

Becoming a pilot had been Joshua’s passion since he was a little boy. I knew his greatest upset and disappointment about diabetes would not be needles and shots and giving up eating whatever he wanted. It would be the medical restriction that would keep him from flying an airplane.

Joshua’s anguish lasted until 1991. While attending George Washington University in Washington, D.C., he decided the only way to fly was to ride in an airplane and then jump out of it. Skydiving became his new passion. “It was the best moment of my life!” Joshua said of his first jump.

In the fall of 2000, Joshua received his jumpmaster certification. At that time, he was only one of two tandem jumpmasters in the United States who had Type I diabetes. He made his dream come true. Joshua flew, and he is still flying!