A Legacy Carried: A Memory Shared by Amber Sax

𝘼 𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝘼𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙎𝙖𝙭

One of my favorite John memories is the day he gave our oldest daughter her very first cockpit tour during family day at VMM-364.

We had often dreamed about what it would be like to introduce our girls to aviation, to take them flying, and to help them feel that same sense of wonder, like having “a magic carpet” that could take them anywhere.

Although becoming a pilot was John’s lifelong dream, being a father was one of his greatest callings. He couldn’t wait to share his love of aviation with our girls, whether that meant adding ear protection for airshows and flight headsets to baby registries, decorating Eleanor’s nursery with airplanes, or having custom baby blankets made for both girls featuring one of his favorite aircraft, the V-22.

It was a brief moment, quickly captured in a photo, but it tells a much bigger story about the “why” behind our mission.

John loved to uplift, encourage, and inspire, sharing the wonder and joy he found in flying with those he loved. Just like flying, fatherhood was second nature to him – a calling that brought out the very best of who he was. His daughters were the heart of everything he did.

When we think about our mission, we come back to memories like this: how John inspired others to have the courage to dream, and how his legacy continues to give others the confidence, support, and opportunity to pursue dreams of their own.

Today, our dream of showing our girls the wonder of flight carries forward. They are learning about aviation through the stories of our recipients, the lives we touch, and the dreams we help take flight. They love seeing photos, learning about each recipient, and celebrating milestones right alongside us. They pop into board meetings to wave hello, where they see their father honored through action and purpose.

Thank you to all those who continue to create space to honor John’s memory. Your support means everything to our family and to everyone touched by this mission.

Forever loved, forever missed.

“𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘞𝘦 𝘋𝘰, 𝘞𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘏𝘪𝘮”
𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐢 & 𝐆.𝐀.𝐒.