FedEx and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital celebrate a dozen years of Purple Eagle honorees

Chocolate chip cookies, chocolate milk, and filling up the piggy bank he plans on donating to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital^® are some of the favorite things of 2024 Purple Eagle honoree, Micah. A seven-year-old who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia after he started kindergarten in the fall of 2022, Micah was honored Wednesday ahead of the first day of competition at the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind.     

The Purple Eagle program began in 2011 when FedEx vice president of airline safety Bill West, who is also a long-time volunteer for the FedEx St. Jude Championship, decided that he wanted to see more than just FedEx trucks and vans around the golf course during tournament week. As the then-managing director of Feeder Operations, the turbo prop planes operating for FedEx into smaller airports, he proposed a plan to tow and park a Cessna Caravan aircraft at the golf course and name one Caravan each year for a St. Jude patient whose parent or grandparent was a FedEx team member. One year later in 2012, the first plane was dedicated. A dozen years later, the tradition continues with Micah’s plane, tail number N788FE. 

“Everyone may know that our big jets are named for children of FedEx team members,” said West. “But after today’s dedication, just 12 of our feeder planes are named. Each one is named for a patient of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital whose parent or grandparent works at FedEx, which means these are special planes for special kids.”

Micah’s grandfather, Craig, is a manager for the FedEx line maintenance team in Memphis and for Micah’s seventh birthday, he gave Micah seven one-dollar bills. Micah responded that he was saving that money to give to St. Jude, where he one day hopes to be a nurse.

Micah’s plane will sport his name under the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital logo for the duration of the Cessna Caravan’s time in service as part of the FedEx supplemental aircraft fleet. There are over 300 turboprop airplanes in the supplemental fleet.

We are incredibly grateful to our longtime partners at FedEx for providing this opportunity to honor Micah and all of the other Purple Eagle recipients over the years in such a special way,” said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “It’s because of generous partners like FedEx that St. Jude can help more of the 400,000 kids around the world who will get cancer each year.” 

About FedEx Corp.
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce, and business services. With annual revenue of $88 billion, the company offers integrated business solutions utilizing its flexible, efficient, and intelligent global network. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 500,000 employees to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards, and the needs of their customers and communities. FedEx is committed to connecting people and possibilities around the world responsibly and resourcefully, with a goal to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2040. To learn more, please visit fedex.com/about.