Hope wings returns home

'Give Hope Wings' departed from Kelowna International Airport on Jan. 2 on a journey of a lifetime, and after visiting 20 counties over 65 days they touched down in Kelowna on Friday.

"It feels great to be home. It has been such an amazing trip. I have no regrets. I mean it's good to be home, but in a way it's tough to come back to almost-winter," said Lead Pilot Dave McElroy.

Hope Air is a charity that provides free medical flights to financially challenged Canadians who must get to healthcare far from home.

"We set a target of originally $400,000. Right now we are over half a million dollars. We are really glad that we achieved that," McElroy added. 

Last year, Hope Air provided 11,500 flights from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island, and everywhere in between. More than 1,400 of those were from YLW. This year, 12,000 flights will be funded by Hope AIr. 

"It's so nice to have him home. I want to have a nice dinner with him and hear about all his crazy adventures," Debbie Rona said, McElroy's wife.