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Houston Aeros at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital

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By Maureen Wade:

Just a few days before Thanksgiving on Monday, November 23, Aeros’ Centers Peter Zingoni and Cody Almond along with Left Wing, Matt Kassian, visited Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. “It’s always nice to be able to get out in the community and help out. It’s fulfilling to be able to brighten a kids’ day when he or she might be feeling down,” says Aeros’ #12 Cody Almond. The players first visited the Houston Aeros Power Playroom, funded by Houston Aeros Charities and designed in December of 2007, where they were greeted by children from the ICU (Intensive Care Unit).

To help brighten the children’s day, the Aeros players brought t-shirts that they autographed along with blankets and complimentary tickets for the patients. “It was just a great day. It’s just awesome to be able to bring a smile to a kid’s face that may be going through a tough time,” said #10 Peter Zingoni. The three Aeros players also visited a few patients’ rooms throughout the ICU to deliver their special Aeros goodies and to take pictures.

To finish off their visit, the Aeros players checked out Memorial Hermann Life Flight, which is an air medical transportation service (helicopters) for the Houston area. The Memorial Hermann Life Flight has a staff that consists of 13 pilots, 14 nurses, 15 paramedics, and five mechanics that service and inspect the helicopters daily. Life Flight is accessible to most locations within 15 minutes. Memorial Hermann Life Flight is a non-profit organization that relies on fundraising and community support to fund their annual $3 million program. None of the money used to fund the service comes from tax dollars.

The Aeros players were elated and honored to be given the opportunity to experience Life Flight. To create a lasting memory, each player was able to get their picture taken in the cockpit of the helicopter. The staff of Life Flight answered the many questions that the players threw at them, but their Q&A session ended abruptly when an emergency call came needing the use of Life Flight. .

Houston Aeros’ #42 Matt Kassian, summed up the day by saying, “It’s always a pleasant, meaningful experience to get to come out and see the kids. The fact that they’re excited you’re there is very rewarding. And on top of that, you factor in the fun of getting to check out the chopper. The whole experience was definitely time well spent.”

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