Petrus, a young man whose dream of becoming a fighter jet pilot was challenged by a muscle illness, found his spirit soaring thanks to the kindness of those who wanted to keep his adventurous spirit alive!
Cape Town, South Africa (10 March 2025) – Despite his dreams of becoming a fighter jet pilot being hindered by his muscle illness, Petrus, an adventurer at heart, has never stopped dreaming about one day being up in the sky.
Although he’s had to shift his focus to coding, his dream of getting to experience the thrill of soaring through the skies in a military aircraft was recently made come true!
The 18-year-old was taken on a trip to the Ysterplaat Air Force Base in Cape Town where he was welcomed and taken on a tour of the helicopter hangars, all thanks to the Reach for a Dream team.
“He listened in awe as a heroic pilot shared a gripping story of survival, unaware that the biggest dream was about to unfold,” Reach for a Dream said.
The young man burst into joy after learning that he wouldn’t just be touring but that he and his family would be climbing on board a Navy rescue helicopter, too!
“The breathtaking flight took them over the coastline, Table Mountain, and even a cricket test match in progress.
“When the helicopter landed, Petrus was overwhelmed with gratitude. He received his own cap and flight wings before one final magical moment, the dream handover.”
The day ended with many more goodies including a RFAD teddy, space kits, science kits, and the ultimate surprise: his very own flight jumpsuit, which he couldn’t wait to wear!
It was truly a beautiful conclusion to an extraordinary day that gave a young man a chance to experience his passion for speed, action, and technology.
Petrus got to revel in the beauty of the sky while being at the center of the kindness of those who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, all with the same goal: to make his dream come true!
Sources: Reach for a Dream
Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google.
Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:
Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.
by 