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FedEx and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Celebrate a Dozen Years of Purple Eagle Honorees

FedEx and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Celebrate a Dozen Years of Purple Eagle Honorees

Published 09-27-24

Submitted by FedEx Corporation

Micah next to an airplane on the ground that shows his name on the side
Micah had his plane dedication on Wednesday, August 14, at TPC Southwind ahead of the first day of competition in the FedEx St. Jude Championships. The Purple Eagle program, which began in 2012, names a plane from the FedEx feeder fleet for a St. Jude patient whose parent or grandparent works for FedEx. Photo by Kevin Cody

MEMPHIS, Tenn., September 27, 2024 /CSRwire/ - Chocolate milk, chocolate chip cookies, and filling up the piggy bank he plans on donating to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® are some of the favorite things of 2024 Purple Eagle honoree, Micah. A 7-year-old who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia after he started kindergarten in the fall of 2022, Micah was honored Wednesday ahead of the first day of competition at the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind.

The Purple Eagle program began in 2011 when FedEx vice president of airline safety Bill West, a long-time volunteer for the FedEx St. Jude Championships, decided that he wanted to see more than just FedEx trucks and vans around the golf course during tournament week. As the then-managing director of Feeder Operations, the turbo prop planes operating for FedEx into smaller airports, he proposed a plan to tow and park a Cessna Caravan aircraft at the golf course and name one each year for a St. Jude patient whose parent or grandparent is a FedEx team member. One year later in 2012, the first plane was dedicated. Now, a dozen years later, the tradition continues with Micah’s plane, tail number N788FE.

“Everyone may know that our big jets are named for children of FedEx team members,” said West. “But after today’s dedication, just 12 of our feeder planes are named. Each one is named for a patient of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital whose parent or grandparent works at FedEx, which means these are special planes for special kids.”

Micah’s grandfather, Craig, is a manager for the FedEx line maintenance team in Memphis and for Micah’s seventh birthday, he gave Micah seven one-dollar bills. Micah responded that he was saving that money to give to St. Jude, where he one day hopes to be a nurse.

Micah’s plane will sport his name under the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital logo for the duration of the Cessna Caravan’s time in service as part of the FedEx supplemental aircraft fleet. There are over 300 turboprop airplanes in the supplemental fleet.

“We are incredibly grateful to our longtime partners at FedEx for providing this opportunity to honor Micah and all of the other Purple Eagle recipients over the years in such a special way,” said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “It’s because of generous partners like FedEx that St. Jude can help more of the 400,000 kids around the world who will get cancer each year.”

12 Years of Purple Eagle Honorees


HonoreeDiagnosisCessna Caravan Tail Number
2024 
Micah 
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia 
N788FE
2023 
Olivia 
Neurofibromatosis 
N884FE
2022 
Riley 
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia 
N986FX
2021 
Kenzie 
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia 
N753FX
2020 
No honoree due to COVID protocols 
 
2019 
Reid 
Rhabdomyosarcoma and Ectomesenchymoma 
CFEXN
2018 
Mya 
Sickle cell disease 
N981FE
2017 
Calvin 
Craniopharyngioma 
N846FE
2016 
Alyssa 
Melanoma 
N933FE
2015 
Tyler 
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia 
N752FX
2014 
Allie 
Anaplastic Ependymoma 
N987FX
2013 
Hayes 
Rare kidney cancer 
N981FE
2012 
McKaylee 
Anaplastic Astrocytoma 
N773FE

About FedEx Corp.

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce, and business services. With annual revenue of $88 billion, the company offers integrated business solutions utilizing its flexible, efficient, and intelligent global network. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 500,000 employees to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards, and the needs of their customers and communities. FedEx is committed to connecting people and possibilities around the world responsibly and resourcefully, with a goal to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2040. To learn more, please visit fedex.com/about.

About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children.® It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. When St. Jude opened in 1962, childhood cancer was largely considered incurable. Since then, St. Jude has helped push the overall survival rate from 20% to more than 80%, and it won’t stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude shares the breakthroughs it makes to help doctors and researchers at local hospitals and cancer centers around the world improve the quality of treatment and care for even more children. Because of generous donors, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, so they can focus on helping their child live. Visit St. Jude Inspire to discover powerful St. Jude stories of hope, strength, love and kindness. Support the St. Jude mission by donating at stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook, following St. Jude on X, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok, and subscribing to its YouTube channel.

Click here to learn about FedEx Cares, our global community engagement program.

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FedEx Corporation

FedEx Corporation

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenue of $88 billion, the company offers integrated business solutions through operating companies competing collectively, operating collaboratively and innovating digitally as one FedEx. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 500,000 employees to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. FedEx is committed to connecting people and possibilities around the world responsibly and resourcefully, with a goal to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2040. To learn more, please visit fedex.com/about.

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