LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
Pilot Greg Poe will share his message of personal determination and success with Langley's Airmen during his "Elevate Your Life" program May 11 at 10 a.m. and noon at the base theater.
Mr. Poe began the "Elevate Your Life" program after losing his son Ryan to heroin addiction in August 2002. His program inspires audience members to pursue their dreams, inviting them on the journey his son started but was unable to finish because of his addiction.
The hour-long program features a high-energy video presentation, followed by Mr. Poe's story of his dedication to his childhood dream of flying and how drugs derailed his son from fulfilling his own similar dreams. He discusses the incredible opportunities aviation has afforded him and emphasizes the importance of making the right choices to audience members.
"Elevate Your Life" is the action arm of the Ryan J. Poe Foundation, founded in honor of Mr. Poe's son. The organization's mission is to share Mr. Poe's story of personal determination and success while bringing some of the hard realities of drug abuse to light in a way that inspires and motivates audience members to reach for the sky in their own lives. Mr. Poe brings the program to each air show he attends, visiting schools and youth organizations in the local area.
"This is an outstanding opportunity for our Airmen to see that real success and happiness can come from hard work," said Lt. Col. Harry Lane, AirPower over Hampton Roads co-director. "We are extremely pleased to have this remarkable man show our Airmen that they can have real success in their lives by believing in themselves and focusing on their goals."
Mr. Poe, a native of Boise, Idaho, will bring his electrifying Endless Energy Tour to AirPower over Hampton Roads May 13-15, demonstrating a wide array of exciting aerobatics, reaching speeds up to 275 mph in his "wickedly maneuverable" ethanol-powered Fagen MX2 aircraft.