Fueled by high winds and dry conditions, the devastating wildfires that raged across the Los Angeles area from Jan. 7 to Jan. 31 claimed 28 lives and destroyed thousands of homes and buildings. The fires have triggered an outpouring of support from across the country. Among those stepping up were two Florida Tech students who used their piloting skills to aid in relief efforts.
Junior Diego Teixeira and sophomore Blaise Pasquier are best friends, aviation management with flight majors, fraternity brothers, and aspiring commercial airline pilots. Their shared passion for aviation and commitment to helping others made them the perfect team for this mission.
“I lived in California for seven years. That’s where I grew up, and it’s really close to my heart. I couldn’t sleep at night, and I just felt like I had to do something,” Pasquier said in a WESH 2 News story.
Determined to act, Pasquier reached out to Teixeira, who participated in a similar mission to assist victims of Hurricane Helene, to join him in the effort.
“Blaise and I actually thought of going on the same mission to California before even mentioning it to each other. My only drawback at first was, ‘Who am I going to do it with?’ A few days later, I got the call from Blaise with the idea, and it was the last push I needed to go on this mission,” Teixeira said.
The two launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for their travel to California and aid efforts. The response was overwhelming, raising over $4,000, thanks to the generosity of fellow students, friends, and family.
With the funds, they planned to rent a small aircraft from a local flight school in California, allowing them to transport food, supplies and other necessities directly to those in need.
Before departing to California, Teixeira set a simple yet powerful goal.
“By the end of this trip, we hope to have helped at least one family,” he said. “Leaving California knowing that we have helped somebody will be a big victory on its own.”
Mission accomplished.
Teixeira and Pasquier departed for Los Angeles Feb. 7 and transported and delivered 800 pounds of clothes and essential goods to ImpactLA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing relief to those affected by the wildfires. The two spent a total of 13 hours in flight.
In addition to delivering supplies, they used $2,000 of leftover funds to directly assist two families who had lost their homes in the disaster by taking them shopping—a highlight of their trip.
“We were telling each other on the way back, we are never forgetting about this,” Pasquier said in a Spectrum News 13 story.
Now back in Melbourne, Teixeira and Pasquier can reflect on a mission that made a real difference in the lives of those affected by the wildfires. Their efforts serve as an inspiring example of how aviation can be used for humanitarian relief, and their work has left a lasting mark on the communities they set out to help.
