Runway lights failed as child needed emergency flight out of remote Alaskan village so its residents got in their cars and did something amazing

When this child needed an emergency flight out his remote Alaskan village, the residents banded together in their cars and did something remarkable when the runway lights failed.

Igiugig is a village of 70 people, but size doesn’t matter when it comes to community spirit.

A medical evacuation team needed to access the village to a child experiencing a medical emergency.

With no lights to guide their plane in, they were facing a huge problem – that’s where the residents of Igiugig stepped in to help.

Alaska is a state unlike any other in the US

They don’t call Alaska ‘The Last Frontier’ for nothing.

This northern state is cold, sparsely populated, and vast.

Its remote nature gives it a distinctive identity from the rest of the mainland.

It’s no wonder then that we see some rather remarkable things happen up there.

For example, did you know there is a town up there that celebrates the 4th of July by launching cars off cliffs?

The state also plays host to some of the toughest roads in the country – as Westen Champlin found out for himself.

The remoteness of the state does throw up some challenges for its residents.

But it also provides an opportunity for people to join together when the going gets tough.

This community banded together to help a child in their village when the runway lights failed

Back in August 2020, the remote community of Igiugig had an opportunity to assist a medical evacuation team.

A child in the town needed assistance, but there was just one problem – there were no runway lights to guide in the plane in to land.

And with the nearest hub city being 280 miles away, this was a big problem.

But the village banded together, with dozens of locals assembling cars and 4-wheelers to light the runway so the plane could land.

Ida Nelson, the head tribal clerk, had noticed something was off when a LifeMed plane was flying low, but not landing.

Speaking to someone at the airport, she learned that the runway lights weren’t turning off.

Nelson’s neighbor made 32 calls to locals for assistance, and a plan soon came together.

Everyone lined up on one side of the runway, one vehicle at each light and some inbetween.

The plane was able to land, the young patient was taken onboard, and the plane flew off to Anchorage hospital.

As you might expect, Nelson was relieved that the child made it to hospital safely.

And it’s all thanks to the exemplary community spirit on display from the residents of Igiugig.

“It’s an ordinary thing to happen here in such a small community,” Nelson told CNN.

“And what I’m finding out is that it’s extraordinary to other people – it’s kind of a normal deal.”

Communities can often bring their cars together to do good

We often think only of our cars as modes of transportation.

But they can often be utilized for the greater good of a community.

Remember the heartwarming story of the Floridian boy who wanted a ‘cool car’ to come by his house on his birthday?

The community sure delivered on that front.