pioneer

I first spoke with Kim Lynch about 11 years ago. At that time she and her husband David had just taken the reins of Reach for the Stars (https://www.reach4thestars.org/), a non-profit that provides accessible ballooning experiences for everyone. I was doing a feature on accessible ballooning, and since we were traveling down to Temecula — her home base — we arranged for a meet up and a photo shoot of her balloon.

I was impressed with her, and her husband David from the moment we first met.

Kim & David & Accessible Ballooning

Kim and David were both balloon pilots, and they loved sharing their experience with everyone. To say they were pioneers in the ballooning world is probably an understatement, as they designed one of the first wheelchair-accessible gondolas, so everyone could join in on the fun. Their gondola held one wheelchair user and two able bodied-companions; and the money that they raised from their flights went to the charitable arm of their organization. And as a result of their year-round fundraising efforts, they were able to offer free accessible tethered flights at many children’s camps and events. They really were quite a team.

You may have noticed that I used the past tense in the last paragraph. That’s because, sadly Kim & David passed away recently, as the result of an automobile accident.

And although this is a sad time in the ballooning community, it’s also an appropriate time to remember these pioneers of access. After all, there are no regulations that require hot air balloons to be wheelchair-accessible. But Kim and David made that happen many, many years ago. And they shared this accessibility freely with children and other folks who couldn’t necessarily afford a hot air balloon ride.

The didn’t do it for the headlines — they did it for the access. As did so many other access pioneers. So the next time you get into an accessible vehicle, hike an accessible trail, or even explore the woods on a track chair, take a few moments to quietly thank those pioneers who made it all possible. May of them, like Kim and David, are gone but not forgotten.

As the ballooning community says, soft landings Kim and David. You will be greatly missed. Thanks for your advocacy!