Virginia teen flies medical supplies to hospitals in rural communities

Once a week, TJ Kim makes a very special delivery, flying into a rural community in Virginia and dropping off much-needed medical supplies.

Kim, 16, was disappointed when the coronavirus pandemic ended his school year early and he was no longer able to play lacrosse. Kim started taking flying lessons last year, and decided with the extra time he now had, he would collect as much personal protective equipment as possible to distribute to hospitals in rural areas. On March 27, he packed his plane with gowns, masks, and gloves, and delivered them to a 25-bed hospital in Luray.

"They kind of conveyed to me that they were really forgotten about," Kim told The Associated Press. "Everyone was wanting to send donations to big city hospitals. Every hospital is hurting for supplies, but it's the rural hospitals that really feel forgotten."

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It hasn't been easy to find some of the supplies, Kim said, but the effort is worth it once the items are dropped off. In Virginia, there are seven critical access hospitals in rural communities, and Kim said his goal is to make deliveries at all of them.