AWA (USAirways) Pilot & Family Need Help

[Resume Writer]

Hi Everyone,

This year has been a tough one for Captain Mike Daley. His ex-wife, Sandy, was a Flight Attendant with AWA, and was killed in her first helicopter training flight in SDL about 2-3 months ago. They had a daughter together, Keira, and he is now caring for her.

As if things could not get worse, Mike's house burned to the ground this past Tuesday.
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Fire destroys Ahwatukee family's home

Mike Daley was piloting a US Airways plane back from Honolulu to Phoenix. His wife, Alisa, was in Spokane, Wash., with two of their children — Alexandra, 12, and Kate, 4 — visiting her mother.

In the middle of the night, Alisa Daley got the phone call: Her Ahwatukee Foothills house had burned down. Mike Daley got the news when he landed.

Their daughter, Keira, 14, is still in Wisconsin at a remote fishing camp and doesn't know that the family's house and most of their belongings were reduced to rubble.

The others returned to find their house in ruins, the charred smell still hanging in the air. Neighbors called the Phoenix Fire Department at about 1:05 a.m. Tuesday.
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Now, all of their possessions have been destroyed - including all memories that Keira had of her mother.

An account has been established to help the girls for their upcoming school season.

This account will allow the girls to start fresh with new things such as new clothing, school supplies and items that will brighten their spirits during this tragedy.

You can go to any Chase Bank and make a donation to:

The Daley Children Fire Fund
Account # 2722324858

I flew with Mike many times when I was an FA with AWA. He is a great person, as was his ex-wife, Sandy, and his current wife, Alisa. I think it would be incredible to see the aviation community come to the aid of one of its own.

 

[Say Again Over]

I'll probably get flamed on this but this guy doesen't sound like a charity case to me, lot's more deserving people out there (remember Katrina), wouldn't he have home owners insurance?

 

[Resume Writer]

It is not going to him - it is going to help his children, who have lost everything, just before school starts. If you have never dealt with an insurance company on a total loss of your house, it is hard to fathom the need. It takes time to get the money, plus it would mean a lot to get assistance from total strangers.

If you do not want to help them out, then do not donate. I have seen this board come together several times to help out fellow pilots in their time of need. I thought that it was a good idea to post this information in case anyone wanted to help.

 

[LearLove]

wouldn't homeowners insurance cover the kids clothes and other stuff for school? Not to mention everything else lost in the house also. 2 years ago one of my family had their house struck by lightening and it burned to the ground. Then next day the insurance company cut a check for 10grand for each of the home occupants to go get clothes and other stuff. The insurance company covered everything - even paid for the condo they stayed in while the house was rebuilt. Wouldn't it be the same for this AWA guy??

 

[Hugh Johnson]

Why are they different than me?

 

[Say Again Over]

Their daughter, Keira, 14, is still in Wisconsin at a remote fishing camp and doesn't know that the family's house and most of their belongings were reduced to rubble.

Sorry, sounds to me like dad can certainly afford to buy the kids a new computer etc.

 

[Buda6868]

Dudes, what a--holes, try and understand! We are pilots and should help out each other in time of needs. If you do not have the means to contibute, I understand, but please do not dog other people for trying to help.

Katrina vicims! Please, have you read the news about all the cedit card scams etc. They are getting the assistance they deserve (i.e. late) but are they using it to their advangtage or just being a sponge. Some are, most are not.

I know we are all making but loads of money and living in 500,000 houses, but can we have some sort of sympathy for our peers.

 

[SpiderMan]

It takes a village mentality at work here.

 

[kingsize]

What's fishing camp?
Well, we know that at the very least, they'll have the ability to put food (fresh fish) on the table.

Famous Dalai Lama saying: You can give a man a fish and he'll eat for day or until the fish is gone, and if you teach him how to fish at fishing camp, he will eat until he's dead.

 

[Resume Writer]

I am really disappointed that people are almost seeing this as some kind of a scam. The 14-year-old just lost her mother three months ago in a helicopter crash. Maybe they sent her to camp to provide her with some joy. I lost my mother at the same age as she lost her mother. It sucks! Now to have their house burn down. Makes my troubles seem insignificant!

I thought maybe the aviation community would be willing to help - I guess maybe I was wrong. I hope that I was not....

 

[Say Again Over]

I'm sorry, most kids don't have a mother that can afford helicopter instruction, I most certainly broke out my check book to help get money to victims of Katrina, were there problems getting the money in the right hands, OF COURSE, there always is a problem, so is that a good reason not to give to the Red Cross, I think not.

 

[Resume Writer]

The helicopter accident happened on her FIRST flight. She was trying it out to see if she liked it.

 

[Say Again Over]

And if she did, then what, I would have to assume she had the money to follow through if she did like it, give me a break.

 

[LearLove]

"Dudes, what a--holes, try and understand! We are pilots and should help out each other in time of needs"

not trying to be an a-hole. I understand and feel for this family. My post was asking a question which I backed up with and example from my exp.

 

[Snakum]

I kinda' see where ya'll are coming from. This seems very different from being asked to help a new hire at XYZ airlines who has already been struggling to feed a family on regional pay. I think that maybe the general concensus is that the father has been at US for at least 16 or 17 years (they furloughed that far back, didn't they) and has had the opportunity to make quite a bit of change over that time, albeit having to give some of it back recently. But still ... an R22 is over $200 per hour. If you're spending that kind of money on 'fun' things (even though it ended tragically) I'd wager you've paid the insurance premiums and the college fund is all squared away.

So, I kinda' understand, and I don't think anyone is being hard-hearted, and all of us certainly feel for the daughter (I'm a parent, too). We're just thinking practically during tough times for everyone. If the guy was a second-year FO at Comair ... checks would likely be flying left and right. I've given, myself, when someone of way lesser means had problems that someone brought to the board. But an 18-year US Air pilot? I sincerely feel very, very sorry for him and for his family, but I don't think he needs any of my meager paycheck.

 

[Resume Writer]

I understand what you all are saying. However, in my wildest dreams, I never imagined the thread taking this turn. Frankly, I hope that Mike is not a member of this board. I would be mortified to know that my post could be making an already bad situation a little bit worse.

For the record, the mother that died in the helicopter accident was divorced from the father. She was NOT making bank - she was a flight attendant. She was given the flight as a Christmas present. I cannot speak for what her goals were with taking an intro flight. Maybe she wanted to eventually get her license and improve her lot in life. Maybe she wanted to have something fun to do every once in a while. I do not know, and I will never know, because she is dead.

 

[kingsize]

I kinda' see where ya'll are coming from. This seems very different from being asked to help a new hire at XYZ airlines who has already been struggling to feed a family on regional pay. I think that maybe the general concensus is that the father has been at US for at least 16 or 17 years (they furloughed that far back, didn't they) and has had the opportunity to make quite a bit of change over that time, albeit having to give some of it back recently. But still ... an R22 is over $200 per hour. If you're spending that kind of money on 'fun' things (even though it ended tragically) I'd wager you've paid the insurance premiums and the college fund is all squared away.

So, I kinda' understand, and I don't think anyone is being hard-hearted, and all of us certainly feel for the daughter (I'm a parent, too). We're just thinking practically during tough times for everyone. If the guy was a second-year FO at Comair ... checks would likely be flying left and right. I've given, myself, when someone of way lesser means had problems that someone brought to the board. But an 18-year US Air pilot? I sincerely feel very, very sorry for him and for his family, but I don't think he needs any of my meager paycheck.

Plus, does the guy even WANT help? I wouldn't want handouts unless I were in a dire, living on-the-streets, situation. Most men like having some pride, and I suspect pilots even moreso than other professions. ResumeWriter is this something you're doing on your own, or did you actually talk to the guy, and he asked for and wants financial handouts??

 

[Resume Writer]

Kingsize,

From what I understand this was set up by the FA union at the request of the members. I guess people at AWA never question giving to help another "family" member - maybe it is because they all have worked with both of these people.

Here is the public link to the AFA website: http://www.afa66.org/ where you can see the information.

Did Mike ask to have this account set up? Of course not. Does he absolutely need the help? I cannot answer that question, as I do not know what his insurance is paying for, etc. Would he be touched by the help from complete strangers? I am willing to bet he would.

 

[Say Again Over]

A very heartfelt gesture from FA's at his company, but to throw it it on this forum is wrong in so many ways, just my opinion. Resume Writer, no ill feelings toward what you were trying to do for a colleague,

 

[Resume Writer]

The only reason I put the post on here is because in the past the members of this board have helped fellow pilots. No other reason.