Lee Erwin Reporting
lerwin@clarksvillenow.com
Fort Campbell, KY. – It was a very special day at Fort Campbell Friday, December 12 for a young man who got his wish as part of the Make-A-Wish Foundation as well as for soldiers of the 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB).
18-year old Jack Zimmerman, who has Cystic Fibrosis, made a wish to be a part of a scavenger hunt similar to TV’s Amazing Race and on Monday, December 15 he will begin his road trip which will take him to Denver, Colorado. But on Friday, Zimmerman spent time with soldiers of the 101st CAB learning about aviation and the unit.
The 101st CAB soldiers helped with his send off on his adventure Friday with a ceremony featuring honors from the brigade along with soldiers signing a send off banner and lining up to shake his hand and wish him well on his journey.
The teen has a passion for flight and the aerospace industry and with the help of the soldiers of the 101st CAB, he was able to find out more about helicopters as well as drone flight. A Chinook, Apache, Blackhawk and Kiowa helicopters were set up at a static display outside a hangar on Post.
Shelley Freeman with Make-A-Wish of Middle Tennessee said Fort Campbell had contacted them a few months ago and asked if there was anything they could do to help the organization. The announcement of his wish for his trip came in a video at Fort Campbell Friday.
Zimmerman talked about getting his wish. “I don’t feel like I’m as sick as some of the other kids. To me it doesn’t feel like I deserve it as much but I’m very grateful. It’s just very generous of all the people working so hard to do it and I appreciate it very much,” said Zimmerman.