Memorial Medical Center Teams up with Native Air to Grant A Wish for New Mexico Teen
February 10, 2020
LAS CRUCES, NM February 7, 2020- Memorial Medical Center will host a special flight on Saturday February 15th, all thanks to Air Methods/Native Air, for a young New Mexico teen. Sebastian Teran, 15, of Las Cruces, who will have his lifelong dream of flying in a helicopter come true.
In early 2019, Sebastian was transferred to Memorial Medical Center from a neighbor hospital to receive critical care. During his stay Sebastian bonded with a Memorial Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Nurse, Brenda Arnett, and instantly had a connection with the Teran family. With sons close in age and both coming from a military background, an instant bond was formed.
Sebastian’s older brother Logan was killed three years ago last December. He was stationed at Ft. Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska. His company was Blackhawk Helicopter base Arctic Attack 1-25th ARB. Sebastian was always fascinated by the Blackhawks and got the opportunity to sit in one while in Fairbanks for Logan's Memorial Service. That experience only escalated his passion for helicopters.
While treating Sebastian, Brenda Arnett, who previously was a flight nurse, shared stories with him and mentioned her husband, Kyle Arnett, is a helicopter pilot for Native Air. In hopes of helping with his recovery time, Brenda said she would try to arrange a flight once he was stable and at home.
Sebastian’s mom, Robin Teran, said she is “incredibly appreciative of the care Memorial provided to Sebastian and their family.” After 11 years of consistent health challenges, Memorial Medical Center was the first to diagnose Sebastian and assist him with the correct treatment plan. Robin said during his recovery time Sebastian brought up the possibility of a helicopter ride multiple times. It gave him something to look forward to and aided in his recovery.
As soon as he returned home, Sebastian reached out to Brenda to see if the flight was still possible. With the help of her husband Kyle Arnett, who is a Native Air pilot, they made Sebastian’s dream come true by arranging a helicopter flight on Saturday, February 15th, taking off and landing at the Memorial Medical Center helipad. Receiving a flight tour of the community, Sebastian’s school and home if time permits. Sebastian hopes to have a career in nursing someday; perhaps this ride will inspire him to pursue flight nursing.
When asked why Kyle Arnett volunteered his time to perform this flight he responded with, “You never know when a child will find their spark in life. Why not help when you can?”
Memorial Medical Center has a vision to create a place where people choose to come for health care, physicians want to practice, and employees want to work. Memorial takes pride in giving back to the community and going above and beyond. They are creating a legacy of care for our neighbors today and for generations to come.
About Memorial Medical Center –
At Memorial Medical we are committed to providing excellent care to our community. Our facilities provide comprehensive services to residents throughout Southern New Mexico. The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Memorial provides an advanced level of care for critically ill children up to age eighteen. Our PICU is the highest level of pediatric care and the only unit in Southern New Mexico. It is staffed by Board-certified Pediatric Critical Care Intensivists, Certified PICU Nurse Practitioners, experienced PICU nurses and respiratory therapists. Our commitment to high-quality care is strong. Our team is committed to providing compassionate care and we bring new and innovative programs to show who matters the most - our communities!
About Air Methods/ Native Air- Air Methods (www.airmethods.com) is the leading air medical service, delivering lifesaving care to more than 70,000 people every year. With nearly 40 years of air medical experience, Air Methods is the preferred partner for hospitals and one of the largest community-based providers of air medical services. United Rotorcraft is the Company’s products division specializing in the design and manufacture of aeromedical and aerospace technology. Air Methods’ fleet of owned, leased or maintained aircraft features more than 450 helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.