Welcome Bruce VanFleet
Season 1 - Podcast 2 - Awakening
Bruce VanFleet – Director of Maintenance Aviation
Location: Craig Airport (JAXEX)
Education: Bachelors Degree
Passions: Music, Guitars, Aviation, Flying RC Planes
Current Projects: Refurbishing Aircraft
Important Links / Sources:
Jacksonville Executive at Craig Airport (JAXEX)
Click on any picture for a larger view
Introductory & Background Questions
Can you tell us what ministry work you were involved in before and up to the time of your plane crash?
I worked with ITEC then. I was in the IFLY program which provided the opportunity for a real-world apprenticeship as an aircraft mechanic. I had 2.5 years of hands-on experience building, fixing, and upgrading aircraft. The A&P (power plant and air frame) license is sort of a prerequisite for flying in mission’s aviation.
What led to the flight, where were you going, and what was the mission or goal?
I was right at the end of my apprenticeship and was searching for a new organization to fly missions with. I felt called to do medical flights among other missions. I had the opportunity to visit an organization in Guatemala; so, I went for a visit. I had the opportunity to fly with their aviation director. We were going to scope out a couple of strips just north of their location. So, I hopped into our plane, and we took off. The strips we were scooping out were going to be new locations that the organization would be helping with, through pastoring and medical missions, etc.
Who was on the flight with you and what was the atmosphere like before takeoff?
I met Luke – the pilot – for the first time the day before our flight. He had over 3,000 hours of flight already logged. He seemed very knowledgeable and competent at what he did, and he was passionate about his calling. The day of the flight it was 88 degrees F, the skies were mostly clear, with some cloud buildup in the south. The airstrip was at an elevation of 6,000 ft. A beautiful day to fly. We were both very excited to fly together and to have this opportunity to get to know each other better.
Bruce VanFleet Podcast
Crash Experience
Can you walk us through your experience: including your takeoff, time in flight, and the crash.
We took off with a nice headwind from the 1,000-foot grass down sloping airstrip. The plane started climbing from the small valley up to an altitude where we could clear the mountains toward the north. We landed at 2 other strips went off without a hitch. It was awesome seeing new locations and flying around the mountains – a perspective only a pilot has. On our way back we were talking to Guatemala City approach tower on the radio. We were cleared to navigate alone back to the airstrip we had initially departed from.
When we arrived at this point, we did a standard mission’s pilot flyby and scanned the air strip low altitude. This flyby is necessary for this area because it can scare off livestock that may have wandered onto the strip and lets people know we are coming back for our landing. All was clear and we came back around for our landing. Now we had a tail wind and were going to be landing up-slope. Also, we passed our go around point and were too high and too fast. We almost did touch down; however, we were halfway down the strip, therefore, Luke pushed the throttle to try to climb up then reproach the runway a second time. But he was unable to do this successfully. High density, altitude, and a short strip made for an almost impossible recovery. We plowed through the tops of the tree but kept flying. The plane caught fire possibly midair, but for sure was on fire at impact with the ground.
I woke up shortly after the plane crashed and I was on fire. When I was burning, everything within me tried to escape My instinct was to hold my breath and close my eyes, which later I found out saved my lungs and eyes from further damage. My door had been ripped away and I had to snuggle to unbuckle my seat belt. I fell and crawled out of the burning plane. I walked up the hill while on fire and even with a broken leg. I saw farmers coming from the fields to help us. So, I fell to the ground not knowing if I would survive. I did yell to the incoming farmers to ask them to rescue Luke from the burning plane – I was not sure if he was out yet or not. It all happened so quickly. I heard a siren in the distance and just laid there knowing at least someone was coming to rescue us.
What were your thoughts in those moments, were there any specific scriptures or prayers that came to mind?
My thoughts in that moment were to let my wife (JEN) and son (Levi) – know how much I loved them. I said it over and over again. I remembered Jen’s phone number and all. After a bumpy and painful ride to the nearest clinic, I felt I could not breath anymore and knew I was dying. I called out to God and pleaded again and again for Him to forgive me and let me come into heaven. I wanted it so badly. I wanted to keep making sure He would receive my message. That was the most important factor in my entire life. I wanted Jesus and I wanted to go home to heaven.
When did you realize the pilot died and that you had survived?
I woke up 2 months later in Dallas TX. I was in an induced coma throughout that time. Things returned to me very slowly; it was not an abrupt awakening. But the first words I remember saying upon seeing Jen were, I love you! I remember everyone at my bedside cheering and crying. The doctor’s thought I was going to be brain dead, possible paralyzed and had given me a 110% of dying from my burns. Obviously – none of that happened.
Approximately 2 weeks later, I recalled that I had been with Luke in the plane, and I asked if he was also in the hospital and doing OK. I was told that he had not made it out alive due to the severity of his burns. I broke down for a long time. I dealt with survivor’s guilt for a long time as well. I continued to ask God…Why did I survive? Why me and not Luke? And to this day – God is shining his light on these questions.
Physical and Emotional Recovery
What was the extent of your injuries and what did your recovery process look like?
When I woke up 2 months after the crash in the Parkland Hospital, I found out that almost 70% of my body had been burned. There were some 2nds degree burns but there were mostly second-degree burns. I had a very bad head injury from hitting my head on the bulkhead of the airplane. I had broken my right leg and damaged the nerves up my right hip and leg. My hand was burned to the bone, which burned the tendons as well. I had to learn how to walk again, and how to feed myself, how to talk and swallow food. I was in the burn ICU for the first 3months
How did you emotionally process the trauma in the weeks and months after?
It was such an emotional roller coaster. Realizing that my body was changed forever; that couldn’t pick up my son for a very long time, (He had just turned 1) The thought of not being able to provide for my family anymore was brutally overwhelming to say the least. I was a 1 day at a time recovery with burns. It felt like I was always going backwards. Daily cleaning my wounds was torcher. If I had any PTSD, it would be from the hospital recovery process. I was mad at God and mad at myself at the same time. I was super thankful to be alive, and I had to decide multiple times to give up and die or push through all the pain and keep recovering. Obviously, I chose recovery, even though it was not the easy route.
During recovery were there any moments when you felt God’s Presence or His absence strongly?
I remember many times where I felt God’s presence. A lot of times it was just realizing what God set into motion and how He uses pain at times to just pull you closer to Himself and for giving you a testimony of His working and goodness.
One time does stand out. I received a big box of cards from people all over the world who had heard about the accident. The cards were prayers, thoughts, quotes, school children’s pictures and even money. There were thousands of people praying. I pulled out a little Bible from under all of these letters and opened it up. Without even reading anything, I felt the presence and peace of God washing over me. His presence was heavy in the room, and I broke down in uncontrollably cried and laughed. God was saying – “I have you!” – over and over again. For the first time in a long while – even before the crash, I felt the profound peace of God. This made me want to push harder and be stronger in therapy and to stand up again as a strong man of God. Because I knew —-ultimately— that is what God wanted of me. He was looking for my undivided heart.
Spiritual Impact
How did your faith change or evolve because of the crash? How did you navigate through the changes?
At first, that seems like a complicated question. Although my faith did seem to change and evolve, now that I’m looking back at it. I wrestled with God BIG TIME. I went through had every emotion that you can think of, especially anger and confusion. I was ANGRY. I felt God called me to go and help His people while using aviation as a tool, and Bam, I did not get too far before it was basically all stripped away from me. And then confusion set in because I started to question why. Why??? Why me??? Why take this away when you called me to do it in the first place?? But God has a bigger and a crazier plan than we can ever comprehend. He was writing a story – not the story I ever wanted – but the story that you are now hearing. A testimony for His kingdom and His people. I had just been along for the ride. So, I would say my faith evolved into full trust. God suddenly did not look like a church, a group of people, a pastor, or anything that had been buried into my memory as I grew up. He was good, He was just, He helped me walk through fire, literally!!! He was in the pain. He was in the sadness. And He was in the joy to come. He is the testimony – I am a vessel.
What roll did Scripture and Prayer play in your healing process?
I realized after all this time growing up in church being saved and baptized when I was 10 years old, that I knew the stories of the Bible, but I had not really memorized scripture fully. I wasn’t a big reader. It’s not that I didn’t like it. I was just slow, so the Bible didn’t get read as much as it should have but God’s story was there in my heart. After the accident I began to wonder who God really was. Even though I had been following basically my whole life. So, I started reading more scripture, even scripture that I had already read through before I would read it and things hit differently. I started to understand. Those words have helped to lift me out of a darkness I never thought I could be lifted from. It gave me hope that I could build another foundation in my life and through prayer healing has happened. God never really left!
Personal Losses
Your wife eventually divorced you after the crash. What was the experience like and how did it affect you emotionally and spiritually?
Shortly after I recovered and got back to work, I came home one day, and my wife said she wanted to separate. My whole world crumbled again. I had just worked so hard to get back to a “normal” life and was able to finally provide again for my family. This had been something I didn’t think I would be able to do again.
For a long while I didn’t feel like I was much of a man at all. So, working again was a huge deal! But with me traveling for work every week and everything my family just had gone through – it was hard on my wife. Even though I was back on my feet, I think she felt tired and not seen. For about a year and a half after she spoke about separation we still lived together and tried counseling. But something shifted in our household, and my wife couldn’t’t do it anymore. Divorce papers were signed – and away she went. I was left with a hole in my chest. She had been my rock and support, and I didn’t have that anymore. I would think it was because my body was burned 70% so I went deep into darkness again before I would ever end Door how hard that Divorce was, so I was at square one alone but 50-50 with my beautiful boy Levi. Who at that point was almost turning four years old I had to be strong for him no matter what, so I kept pushing forward.
Hope, Resilience, and Redemption
Your wife eventually divorced you after the crash. What was the experience like and how did it affect you emotionally and spiritually?
He redeems of the Lord tell their story those he redeemed from the land of the faux James 1234 counted all joy, my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds, my wife at the time my family and my son played a key role in my healing process without them. I probably would have given up on my life having that support and love was everything to me. My wife was in the hospital almost every day and when she couldn’t’t be there, my parents would be there, especially my mama. She was by my side a lot. I couldn’t have done it without them.
Are there any specific verses or teachings that carried you through your darkest times?
Specific verses that come to mind when I think of my crash and recovery are probably Psalm 130:7 let the redeem of the Lord tell their story – those redeemed from the hand of the foe!” and James 1:2-4 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kind, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness and let the steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing.”
How do your view suffering now than you did before the crash?
I now believe suffering has a big role in telling God story. Without it, how would we know strength how would we know to lean on God? How would we know love? t’s crazy to think about almost like we wouldn’t know darkness without the light through the crashing Biggs life in life to the fullest you find who you truly are when things hit the fan I found how strong I was and what I’m capable of but ultimately I found who gives me that strength the most unimaginable grief one can ever feel.
Life Now and Looking Forward
What would you say to someone going through deep suffering or loss who feels like God is silent?
Seasons change; God is still with you. It’s still part of his plan – including pain or grief. Whatever you’re going through – seasons change and God gives you the strength to move through it. It won’t always be like this long suffering for your testimony if it wasn’t for my son, I probably would have given up the greatest part of me pushing through Was my son
What is your greatest struggle now?
My greatest struggle now is just having a normal day. I wake up and make a cup of coffee. I then spend time reading the Bible and the Scriptures. This is my intention of getting ready for the day. I’m at a place right now. I’m just grateful God has made me the head of many things not the trial Being the director of maintenance for Craig Airport (CRG). A local Jacksonville airport has given me a feeling that I am a man in the head of something important. This has given a lot of confidence back to me.
Enjoy New Shows
Listen on your favorite platform
Click below to listen to the latest podcasts on your favorite platform apps
View Podcasts on Facebook, X, Instagram and this website. Follow Us for the latest news.
Explore
Find
©Copyright 2025 – Angels & Demons Podcast, LLC. | AI SEO – AI Search – AI Digital Marketing by Kelly Advantage.