Former CEO tells tales of flying heroes

Dave Wood has seen a lot of heroes in his day.

Wood, retired CEO of Wood Fruitticher, a Birmingham-based business that is one of the largest foodservice providers in the Southeast, spoke to the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce on May 11 about his work with the Veterans Airlift Command, which transports post 9/11 veterans to various appointments, family reunions and more across the country to show their respect and appreciation for their service.

As someone who has a family background in the air, flying the veterans was an easy decision for Wood, he said. His father was a World War II bomber pilot and Wood himself learned how to fly when he was a child.

The organization will make sure the veteran qualifies for a transport and will then link them up with a pilot like Wood, he told the chamber.

For about half an hour, Wood told the guests story after story about wounded veterans, bringing many in the room to tears.

His first transport was going home, somewhere he hadn’t been in quite some time. The man had spent a career jumping out of planes, wood said, and was headed to Wilmington, North Carolina. Sitting in the same airplane as a hero and seeing how much it was able to help him, Wood said, was all he needed to be convinced that this was something he wanted to keep doing.

Over his time in serving veterans, Wood said he’s flown Medal of Honor recipients, triple amputees and many more who have risked it all to preserve our freedoms. However, they remain extremely humble, he said.

One Medal of Honor recipient corrected Wood when he introduced the man as a “Medal of Honor” winner, telling him it isn’t a prize they win, but something they receive. While it was an innocent mistake, Wood made sure to learn his lesson that day, he said.

He also said he’s learned something about the significant others of military members.

“Spouses are also heroes,” Wood said.

One spouse in particular stuck out. While they were still dating at the time, the girlfriend of Taylor Morris dropped everything she had to take care of him after he was injured in combat. For a time, she carried him “like a backpack,” Wood said, as he had lost his legs.

Wood had the honor of transporting them and was moved by her effort.

Transporting a female veteran once led Wood to receive what he called divine confirmation of his efforts. The veteran was also a star college basketball player, and Wood flew her in the rain. While he was waiting to take off again, he was able to look over at his plane, and there, shining in his pilot’s seat, was the end of the rainbow.

“That convinced me I was doing the right thing,” Wood said.

In transporting veterans who have suffered traumatic, brutal injuries, and many of whom have had amputations, Wood said he’s learned to not avoid talking about their injuries, which can sometimes feel like the elephant in the room.

“Don’t act like it’s not there,” Wood said.

Wood has kept in touch with the veterans, finding out when they grow their family or move, and has flown them all over the country, from Disney World to Monroeville, Alabama.

Still, as he told the crowd, he isn’t the hero. He’s just the man who flies them.