Here's how it all began (for us anyway) -- email rec'd 9/16/05:

Hi Dave,

It's Howie Rutledge's grandson again. I was wondering if you might be able to help me brighten someone's last days here on Earth.

She is a 7 year old little girl, who is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Her physicians have determined that she has less than three months to live, and she is expected to be confined to her bed within a month. Anyway, she has expressed many interests like ride a train, go flying, see the space shuttle, etc. As President of the Auburn Police Officers Association, I have committed our union to pay for her expenses to do these things.

So far, I have only been able to arrange a ride on the Amtrak here locally. I would very much like to her to get a special tour at the Kennedy Space Center so that she can see the shuttles, etc. I thought you might be able to help me out here, so I am throwing you line. Also, it would be really neat if she could go flying in a military jet if you have any ideas on how to arrange this. Please let me know if you can be of any assistance. Thus far, I am continually running into red tape and I fear that I won't be able to help her in time.

Respectfully, Stan Hamelin

An "APB" was sent out to our email net 45 minutes later.  The first responses came within 20 minutes!!  Guys were working contacts to get us into NASA and the Blues that same day.  Follow the links on the left to get the full story on the KSC Tour, the Blue Angels Show at San Francisco, and the F/A-18 Simulator ride at Lemoore  that we were able to get set up for Alyssa.

Alyssa's Dad was a USMC vet of Gulf War I.  He died unexpectedly in July of this year.   Alyssa now has her mom Leann, and 3 siblings.

Stan Hamelin of the Auburn PD was USMC also.  His Grandfather, Howie Rutledge, was a USN F-8 driver and POW in NVN for 7+ years.  Howie was the author of the book, "In the Presence of Mine Enemies".