By Graham Wood
A mere 37 years after the Wright brothers flew for the first time in 1903, my grandfather, Capt. Frank Wood, flew for the first time. Serving as a fighter pilot in World War 2 and later joined South African Airways as one of the very first Captains of the airline.
I grew up listening to the stories of this incredible aviator and wanted to do nothing else with my life but fly above the world.
Little did I know, that flying was so much more than I could have ever imagined. It was freedom. Every time I climbed into the aircraft, I felt alive. It was my piece of paradise. And after 13 years of flying, I lost that freedom.
In August 2024, my heart started failing. What started as a few skipped beats turned into an abnormal rhythm. Remaining my secret, I tried to correct it myself with a healthy lifestyle and excessive cardio. Dr Google informed me that it was not a big deal, so naturally, I was okay. A month passed with no improvement, and I decided that I needed to tell my wife. I was terrified to share what was going on inside my chest as I knew that, expecting the worst, it would have a negative impact on my career, my dream and my freedom.
That night, my wife lay her head on my chest to listen to my heart and gasped at the fact that it was stopping and starting. Something was wrong and needed to be attended to. After a visit with my GP, a 24-hour ECG and an echogram, I ended up in Dr Kier McCutcheon’s office – a cardiologist.
I was born with a bicuspid aortic valve, which had given me 33 years of happy beats, but could not fight on anymore. Due to the blood leaking back into my heart, the muscle had to work a lot harder and, in turn, had swollen and was giving up. The amount of emotion that came with this news overwhelmed my ability to breathe. I was no longer “fit to fly”.
And so, this had to be fixed. I met with heart surgeon Dr Johan Honing, who explained that the safest options were open heart surgery and valve replacement. In October 2024, I went into theatre.
At the time of writing this, it has been 3 months since my surgery, and I am well on my way to getting back into the shape I was and better. My goal is to retest for my aviation medical in July, and I would like to walk into that medical exam without a shadow of a doubt that I did my absolute best to be the healthiest I could possibly be.
So, this got me thinking. How do I physically commit to something and not falter or give up on my goals?
How am I held to a level of accountability that giving up is not an option? Who needs to believe in me to motivate me to be the best version of myself? These questions made me realise how little I know about how much I can push myself with my new heart. Which now had a bovine aortic valve in (I’m half bull). My mind went down a rabbit hole, and I came to the realisation that I knew very little of my condition and very little about my recovery.
How many people out there were in my position? As scared as I was, without hope and no knowledge of how to handle this or where to go… Then it hit me. These are the people that will be my motivation to succeed. People with heart disease or valve issues or slight murmurs who are just as afraid of the future and the unknown as I was. That need someone to look up to for hope.
How would I do this?
It has been a dream of mine to ride the Desert Dash for several years now, and the thought of this accomplishment after open heart surgery filled me with excitement! But I want Namibia to know why. I want to raise awareness for those who need to go see their doctor but are too afraid. Who need to go through this procedure and have no hope.
So, I’m gearing up to take on this challenge and invite anyone wishing to support this dream and my hopeful cause to reach out. To rise with me and create hope. With your support and my determination, I believe with all my heart, both human and bull, that we will succeed.
My Heart will find freedom in flight again.
As Namibia transitions into a new chapter, we extend our deepest gratitude to outgoing President Nangolo Mbumba for his dedicated service during this time of change. Serving as Namibia’s president following the passing of the late Dr. Hage Geingob, President Mbumba has been a steady hand guiding the nation through a period of transition.
In a significant step toward improving airport security and awareness, SIGNA Aviation Training ATO, in collaboration with the Office of the Inspector General of the Namibian Police (NAMPOL), hosted an important training event focused on Human Trafficking Awareness and Illegal Wildlife Trade.
In a significant step towards enhancing border efficiency and streamlining immigration processes, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security (MHAISS) has officially launched the online application for visa on arrival.
As the first light of dawn stretched over the Lüderitz Waterfront, we gathered at the jetty, greeted by the crisp morning air and the promise of adventure. The crew of Penguin Catamaran Tours welcomed us aboard with warm smiles, their enthusiasm setting the tone for what would be an unforgettable journey.
