TAMPA, Fla. — On a rainy afternoon in Tampa, a private jet landed with very precious cargo.
“It’s not just a plane ride. It helps us start our family... because there was really no good option B,” said John Waterman.
Waterman and his wife, Alison Herman, live in Pinellas County and had been trying for weeks to get their babies home from Utah.
David and Sydney were born in May to a surrogate 8 weeks prematurely.
They each weighed less than three pounds at birth and had been in intensive care.
The COVID-19 pandemic made traveling plans very difficult.
Waterman considered making the long drive from Utah to Florida, but that wasn’t safe.
Then Tampa-based Jet ICU stepped up and offered one of their private planes.
Normally the flight would have cost $40,000.
“Jet ICU, we go all around the world. Every country you can think of we fly around the world. This is special because we are bringing somebody home. This is our community,” said Jared Wayt, Jet ICU Chief Flight Paramedic.
John flew with the babies, who just needed a little oxygen during the flight.
Their mom was waiting for them at the airport.
“Just a sense of relief. Excited. Relieved that they are home for good and safe,” said Herman.
“I’ve never even met these folks before and they did this for us and it’s just amazing,” said Waterman.
“We are blessed,” said Herman.
As it turns out, today was actually the twins’ due date, but a different kind of delivery brought them home to be with their family for good.
