Bellingham 18-year-old surprised by high-flying birthday salute despite coronavirus
Birthdays, proms and graduations are meant to be the happiest moments in a young person’s life, but many 2020 celebrations have been canceled due to the coronavirus.
Jeffrey Lustick, a Bellingham attorney and registered pilot, refused to let his daughter Amelia Lustick’s 18th birthday on Sunday, April 19, be swept under the rug as many other events have due to Washington state’s Stay at Home social distancing orders.
Amelia, otherwise known as Mia, is a senior at Sehome High School in Bellingham, where she was selected to advance to the state choir championship, which was canceled in an effort to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Mia’s senior prom and graduation are likely to be canceled as well.
“It’s been quite a year,” Jeffrey Lustick said. “I wanted to give her something really special on her birthday. I’ve seen on television where people are having drive-bys for anniversaries, birthdays and celebrations. I wanted to take it to the next level and give her something special that she can remember.”
His was flying one of six airplanes that flew over the Lustick house to surprise Mia Lustick on her special day. The six planes took off from Bellingham International Airport in three groups of two, which formed into a single file line over downtown Bellingham.
One of the pilots was Bob Delgatto, who joined the celebration with his 13-year-old daughter, Morgan. The Delgattos are not the only father-daughter flying duo, as Mia has been flying with Jeffrey since she was 3-years-old.
“It’s pretty sad. They’re all struggling with not being able to hang out with their friends,” Bob Delgatto said. “This is an important date —the 18th birthday of this dear young lady and she can’t have a party. We’re really happy that we can do something for her, make her feel special and have six airplanes flying in a formation over there for her, wishing her a happy birthday.”
At approximately 2:05 p.m., all six planes flew over the birthday girl, one after another at about 1,000 feet in the air and at 100 knots. The pilots circled back to complete two full laps over Mia. The air traffic control tower at the airport was in on the surprise and coordinated with the pilots to clear the six-plane formation for the fly-by.
The celebration wasn’t over when the planes were gone. Immediately after, an entourage of 14 cars of Mia’s family, friends and neighbors drove by the Lustick house with horns honking and balloons flying.
“I was so surprised, I was laughing, I almost cried,” Mia Lustick said. “It made me feel so loved that my dad could get so many people and our community to do that for my 18th birthday. It’s a little hard because of (COVID-19) right now.”
Despite the coronavirus putting a damper on his daughter’s senior year, Jeffrey Lustick wouldn’t allow it to ruin a monumental moment for Mia.
“So much has been sacrificed during the COVID-19 outbreak, and we have to replace those celebrations and memories with good things,” Jeffrey Lustick said. “We know that by flying we’re maintaining social distancing and we’re enjoying our flying. At the same time, I’m hoping Amelia can have a lasting memory and something exciting to remember on her birthday.”