In the mid-90s a young Pilot by the name of Eddie Lowe had a career-ending accident that later also ended his life. At the time of the accident, Eddie and his wife, Linda, had a 7-year-old daughter and a second one on the way. In an effort to help the young family after his passing, the SWAPA Board of Directors created the Dependent Scholarship Fund.
Since its creation in 1999, the fund has awarded scholarships to more than 180 dependents of deceased or disabled Pilots.
And one of those recipients for the past two years has been Carly Darkis.
Captain Tom Darkis knew from an early age he was meant to be in the air. At the height of the space race, 13-year-old Tom remembers looking up to the sky and just knowing flying was what he wanted to do. And starting at around age 15, that’s exactly what he did. He’s done every kind of flying you could do — instructor training, charter flights, corporate flying, even working for a funeral home. Before Southwest, he spent time at Wheeler Airlines and Midway Airlines before it shut its doors immediately following 9/11.
“At that time, every airline was struggling. I was out of work, and no one was hiring. I had put in my application for Southwest Airlines before 9/11 happened so you can imagine how surprised I was when I got the call that I was hired. I was thrilled and have loved my time here ever since.”
To say Tom’s been flying most of his life is a bit of an understatement. So, in 2018, when doctors told him that not only could he never return to the cockpit, but that if he were to even take a flight as a passenger, he could lose his hearing completely, it was devastating.
“I had been flying for 40 years and that was it, my days of flying were done.”
Earlier in his career, Tom suffered inner ear trauma. Surgery and tubes would correct the problem for a few years until 2018, when working a flight a tube fell out and he immediately experienced a significant pop. That was when doctors said, one more flight would result in a total loss of hearing.
“Right now, the hearing in my left ear is completely gone and I have only partial hearing in my right ear. Balance for me is also an issue now. Just goes to show you that you never know what can happen. Things happen fast but, you know, it can always be worse. I do feel extremely fortunate and blessed.”
“At the time, Carly was a sophomore in college. As a parent, you’re told you can’t work anymore and of course worry creeps in about being able to cover everything. It’s not like I could go out and pick up a few extra trips anymore to cover additional expenses.”
That’s when the Darkis family became aware of the Dependent Scholarship Fund.
“I’m extremely honored to receive this gift from the Pilot group. Flying was something my dad’s done his whole life. He was always traveling when I was growing up but we’d all be together on weekends and grill out and he was always telling us stories about things that happened on his trips, where he’d been, show us pictures of what he did – we were all always very close. So when he couldn’t fly planes anymore, I knew it would be a strain. I can’t stress enough how much this scholarship has allowed me to continue my education.”
In the fall, Carly will be starting her fourth and final year of college at Radford University. She’s studying political science with a minor in sociology. After her senior year, Carly says she’d like to attend law school, a lofty goal but one her father says, the four-year Honor Society member is more than up for.
“Carly’s an extremely smart, driven girl. She always has been. And she’s always been good at arguing!” he says with a chuckle. “I just couldn’t be more proud of her and grateful for this program, and really, all the programs SWAPA offers.
Throughout your career as a Pilot, and when you’re younger, you sign up for and pay for all of these programs, things like disability, the Dependent Scholarship Fund, hoping and praying you never need them — and you may not! But they are truly a lifesaver if you ever do need them. I’m living proof.”
Authored by Communications Manager Casey Casteel.
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