MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A South Florida pilot is taking another trip to the Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian.
On Tuesday, Mike Brill said he's dropping off baby supplies to Freeport.
The plane left Miami Executive Airport Tuesday morning. Brill said he's done several relief missions to the Abaco Islands, but this is his first trip to Freeport, and this time the focus is on the youngest survivors of the hurricane.
Brill piled donated baby supplies up to the roof of his single-engine airplane Tuesday morning before heading to Freeport.
"We found that a lady is taking care of about 30 families in Freeport and she's out of baby supplies," he said.
So Brill and his friend loaded up 500 pounds of donations from different businesses, which are now on their way to one of the areas of the Bahamas hit hardest by Dorian.
"They said that they were pretty desperate. They were out of formula, diapers, pull-ups and, unfortunately, this trip, they do need clothes, but I can only hold so much in the little plane," Brill said.
The plane was filled to maximum capacity, so Brill said he's planning make another trip to the Bahamas in a day or two with the rest of the supplies.
"Doing something good for people who have nothing left. From big corporations that are sending ships and barges, to us little guys on the ground, you know, we're able to help these guys," Brill said.
Although Brill isn't a full-time pilot, his flexible schedule as a yacht broker gives him time for this relief mission.
"I've been a native of Miami my whole life," Brill said. "I went through Andrew. I've boated in the Bahamas and flown to the Bahamas since I was a kid, so as soon as I knew the hurricane hit, I reached out if I could start helping."
Brill said he contacted his pilot friends from Palm Beach County, who helped him get permission from FEMA to do these relief missions.
He said this is his fourth relief flight and won't be the last.