Jet flight takes her over the moon
Medal of bravery winner wins bank-sponsored contest to fulfill dream by flying in fighter jet
Cindy Rogers has dreamed of flying a fighter jet since she was a little girl. Recently, her lifelong wish came true after a friend nominated her for the Bank of Montreal’s 200 campaign, which is granting wishes to eight people who have positively impacted their community, in honour of its 200th anniversary.
The nomination came a year after Rogers was awarded a Governor General’s Medal of Bravery for her attempt to rescue a woman whose vehicle plunged into Wood Lake in December 2012.
“It’s something I’ll never forget,” said Rogers. “I jumped in the water and I was in there for 20 minutes trying to get her out of the vehicle, but unfortunately she didn’t survive that day.”
Rogers’ friend and colleague Marissa Baecker wanted to further recognize her bravery and contribution to the community by nominating her to receive her wish of flying in a fighter jet.
Both women are local photographers, and the other week, Baecker told Rogers they were flying to Toronto to photograph a commercial.
“She said they don’t tell you the set location until the day of the shoot or who you’re shooting until the day of,” said Rogers. “They had me completely convinced.”
However, upon arrival at the airport, Rogers soon learned there was no commercial.
She was going to get to fly her dream plane — a Lockheed T-33 jet trainer aircraft, owned by the Ontario Warbirds Association. “I completely burst into tears,” said Rogers. “I was floored.” Rogers jumped into the cockpit and was in the air for about 45 minutes.
The pilot even did some acrobatics and let Rogers fly the plane for a bit, she said.
“It was an incredible experience.”