Oklahoma Pilot Returns Home Following Role In Assisting Hurricane Helene Victims

An Oklahoma pilot is back home after flying missions to help victims of Hurricane Helene.

Michael Immel is from Buffalo in Harper County, near the Oklahoma Panhandle, and has only had his pilot's license for a year.

Despite so little time between acquiring his license to now, Immel ended up flying over one ton of supplies to the Hurricane Helene-affected regions of North and South Carolina through Operation Airdrop.

Immel made it back to Oklahoma over the weekend, and said it makes perfect sense for an Oklahoman to help other communities recovering from severe weather.

"I'm so glad I did. The people there were amazing," Immel said. "You know, with this time of the year, every four years, it can feel, you know, jaded and harsh and people disagreeing, and I didn't see any of that. It was just people coming together to help each other out in need."

Michael says he had never done anything like this before, but could not have done it without everyone who helped donate to his effort.