Doug the Spaceship.

posted on behalf of Cathy

Doug flew my then-4-year-old son and I from California to Colorado back in 1997. It was one of those “interesting” flights with my son puking repeatedly during the many hour flight. Doug kept his sense of humor though and, after a quick trip to Walmart while on a fuel stop, we made it to Colorado and settled into our home here. That flight inspired a series of bedtime stories that went on for years. “Doug the Spaceship” visited my children just about every night and became an integral part of our bedtime routine. And it wasn't just my children who loved “Doug the Spaceship.” My niece, nephew and various school friends of my kids looked forward to spending the night at our house because of these stories. “Doug” would take them to worlds that included rainbows you could slide down, dragons you could ride and farting piggy banks, to name only a few. And every child that was introduced to “Doug the Spaceship” heard about the real-life Doug who flew us to Colorado. Though we didn't stay in touch through the years, Doug’s kindness and generosity will always be remembered. He was a wonderful pilot and a good man.

—Cathy