Gilbert pilot flies into hearts of Malawi people

If you have ever flown with US Airways, then you may already know Steve Hoesel.

When the pilot isn't telling you to put on your seat belt and prepare for what you hope to be a safe landing, he is busy helping orphans in Africa and, running a non-profit charity.

The Gilbert resident, who lived in Arizona since age 8, grew up in a family of pilots with flying in his blood.

"My dad was a pilot, his dad was a pilot," Hoesel said. "When I flew by myself for the first time, that's when it hit me that this is what I want to do."

Last year he realized his passion for helping others when he went on a trip with his church, the Grove Bible Church, to a village in Malawi in southeastern Africa and saw the desperate conditions the villagers were living in.

"We asked the chief, 'What is your Number 1 priority?' and he said, 'We need water . . . we haven't had fresh water in over four years,' " Hoesel said.

"So we (the church group) took it upon ourselves and raised the money to put in a new water well so they could have fresh water." said Hoesel.

This year Hoesel returned to Africa to find the well intact and pumping fresh water.

"It was so incredible. To see these kids and these moms and know they had fresh water was amazing." Hoesel said.

Hoesel also distributed mosquito nets to help thwart the spread of malaria.

The group bought more than 1,300 nets and distributed them to six villages and orphanages, which Hoesel estimated helped anywhere from 1,800 to 2,000 people.

The greatest joy that he had while in Africa, however, came from working with orphans and widows.

"A highlight for me this year was going into a widow's home, where she might be caring for four to five children, and has really nothing to live on . . . and I went into the market and bought some things for her like a mat for her to sleep on, beans, rice, veggies, dried fish," Hoesel said. "When I presented these things she just looked like she was going to burst. She was so grateful and it was so humbling.."

Hoesel and his wife, Susie, have 8-year-old twin sons, Andrew and Charlie.

When asked, Hoesel says his greatest accomplishment is being a dad.

Hoesel's charity work isn't limited to Africa. He also co-runs a non-profit foundation set up to instruct future pilots.

"What I do is take kids up (in the co-owned plane) free of charge, and give them an introduction to flight," Hoesel said.

The foundation was recently set up in memory of fallen Tempe police officer Jeff Allman, and donations such as money or gas are accepted.

To date, Hoesel says he has flown a couple of dozen kids and the joy on children's faces is all he needs to remember why he chose to do this.

"Seeing the excitement and these kids, it reminds me of why I got into flying in the first place." Hoesel said.