{"id":7680,"date":"2026-01-16T19:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T19:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7680"},"modified":"2026-01-16T19:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T19:30:00","slug":"flying-saved-my-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7680","title":{"rendered":"Flying saved my life"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published:<\/strong> 2026-01-16T19:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n

A Veteran\u2019s journey from the skies to survival<\/h2>\n

Navy Veteran Kelly Keener has always loved seeing the world from above. His passion for flight never faded after his military years. <\/p>\n

To keep that passion alive, Keener joined the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), a volunteer organization that provides aviation opportunities, and where his new commanding officer introduced him to Tiger Flights.<\/p>\n

\u201cBetween CAP and Tiger Flights, I get to do lots of volunteer work as a pilot,\u201d Keener shared.<\/p>\n

In early 2025, Keener earned his commercial pilot certificate. By May, his medical certificate had expired\u2014a requirement for flying. Determined to continue flying small planes for CAP and Tiger Flights, Keener asked his VA doctor at the Atlanta VA Health Care System<\/a>,\u00a0Dr. Sravanthi Vonguru, to sign off on something called BasicMed, a short form that allows pilots to fly without a traditional Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical certificate. \u201cIt\u2019s a small, simple form\u2014could take just about three to five minutes to fill out,\u201d Keener recalled.<\/p>\n

A lifesaving precaution<\/h2>\n
\n
<\/a>
Navy Veteran Kelly Keener is thankful to Dr. Sravanthi Vonguru and the VA for helping to keep his passion for flight alive. Dr. Vonguru provides an evaluation after Keener needed an open-heart surgery to address three blockages in his heart. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Vonguru agreed to consider it but wanted to ensure Keener was healthy enough to fly. \u201cI wanted to listen to the patient\u2014what are his risk factors? How has he been doing?\u201d she recalled. So she requested a cardiology check before signing off.<\/p>\n

That precaution turned out to be lifesaving. Tests revealed three major blockages in Keener\u2019s heart. Further examination uncovered an 80% blockage in his left anterior descending artery, commonly known as the \u2018Widowmaker.\u2019 Without intervention, Keener faced a life-threatening event.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had to send him to a computed tomography (CT) surgeon for a bypass,\u201d Vonguru explained. Keener underwent open-heart surgery, a shocking turn for someone who thought he was healthy. \u201cI\u2019ve flown hang gliders, paddled whitewater\u2014I lived in a state of denial. I thought I was healthy,\u201d Keener admitted. \u201cI just never went to doctors before I had to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today, Keener credits his doctor, VA, and his love of flying for saving his life. \u201cTo be honest, Vonguru, VA, and my flying saved my life,\u201d he said. For Vonguru, the outcome is deeply rewarding: \u201cI felt really great that we did a good job as a healthcare team.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keener\u2019s story underscores VA\u2019s mission to provide the highest standard of evidence-based care for every Veteran. \u201cEvery Veteran is important,\u201d said Vonguru. Keener, who served three years in the Navy, was surprised to learn he was eligible for VA health care. \u201cI was honestly astounded,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have plenty of access\u2014every clinic is open for every Veteran.\u201d<\/p>\n

The skies remain his passion\u2014but now, Keener flies with a renewed appreciation for life.<\/p>\n

Video of Kelly Keener\u2019s experience at Atlanta VA<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s never too late to apply for VA health care you\u2019ve earned. If you are a Veteran or know a Veteran who has not yet applied for their VA health care benefits, learn how to\u202fget started<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When Navy Veteran Kelly Keener asked his VA doctor for a simple form to keep flying, neither expected what came next: a diagnosis that led to life-saving heart surgery.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":54,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7680","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-news"],"yoast_head":"\nFlying saved my life - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When Navy Veteran Kelly Keener asked his VA doctor for a simple form to keep flying, neither expected what came next: a diagnosis that led to life-saving heart surgery.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7680\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Flying saved my life - 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