Fnr Naval Aircraft Mechanic - AM3 Cicely Novy
 

For the most part this website contains my own thoughts and interests relating to life, and most often, my love of flight. I have strongly sought to stray away from any topic that would reflect even the slightest notion of a plea for personal gain and have never used this website to pander or beg for anything in regard to my own wants or needs; however someone very close to me is in the fight of her life and if there was ever a time to implore people for their kindness -- this is it. Her name is Cicely Novy and she is a truly wonderful woman. On the evening of May 5th she suffered a ruptured aneurysm in her brain and she has been at the hospital in intensive care ever since.

Coincidentally, it is Cicely's very nature that allows me to keep this post aligned with the ongoing theme of aviation and the dream of flight. She is both a former United States Navy aircraft mechanic (fixed wing & rotary) and an aviation enthusiast. I had the pleasure of meeting her for the first time on an airport ramp outside Minneapolis and my first question to her was if she'd like to go flying, to which she excitedly answered -- YES. She has always seemed to surprise me with things like that. In fact, she is the only non-pilot I've ever met who has lead hours of conversation with her questions about METARs, approach plates, SIDs & STARs, and how the Federal Airway System works. The questions were purely for her own knowledge and you'd be hard pressed to find student pilots who were as excited as she was to learn the answers.

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While intelligent, Cicely's spirit has always seemed to me like one of calculated adventure and her heart is laced with a caring and an empathy for others that I often wish I had. She is truly a blessing to those she comes into contact with and right now this larger than life woman needs our help. Her family has set up a fundraiser through a direct donation website that I have linked below. With these donations, she will be able to pay for the excess medical costs not covered by her insurance as well as those that she will find herself burdened with during her rehabilitation. Additionally, for anyone in the Minneapolis area on June 29, 2013 (a Saturday) -- her family is hosting a Fundraising event at a local tavern that includes a concert, beer bust, as well as a silent auction. All of those details are found on the second link below.

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Direct Donations: The Novy Fund
Fundraiser Event: The Cicely Novy Fundraiser

Again, there is really no amount that is too small. Whether it be a dollar or $100, Cicely will need all the help she can get as she battles to reclaim her life from what many do not survive through. I also want to thank any of you considering donating either money or time attending the fundraiser. I know that most of you that read this are strangers to this woman (perhaps even me) and yet many of you took the time to read this. By donating, you are directly impacting the life of not only Cicely but that of the family and friends that have lived out the day-to-day roller coaster that this medical event has sent us on. Life is an amazing gift and one that is made that much more beautiful through the lives that we each share our own with. Thank you once more, and God Bless.

"Limited in his nature, infinite in his desires; Man is a fallen god who remembers heaven." - Alphonse de Lamertine

Site: www.JoeBurlas.com

Just a heads up for all those who wanted to donate but couldn't -- I've done some tweaking of my website and have incorporated a 'share' feature at the bottom of every article now. So in lieu of donating, would you mind spreading the word? What I wrote above was posted here; So if you'd like to help get her story out to people, that would help as much, if not more. The prayers alone seem to be working... she's awake now but still recovering in the hospital, however slowly.