David Pesek, 2011 Alex Gilmer Flight School Scholarship Recipient
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Gilmer, Adam, Gloria, and the rest of the Gilmer Family,
First off, I would like to thank all of you for your generosity in the Alex Gilmer Scholarship which funds
will allow me to complete my license in the very near future. Throughout the Sunday at the flight school
with you, I realized even more how much Alex and I share in common.
Throughout high school I worked hard towards an appointment to Annapolis or West Point and the fall
of my senior year I earned congressional nominations to both academies. Although I decided to stay
close to home and play football while attending the School of Mines, my passion to serve our great
country like Alex did still remains. Working in Afghanistan since 2008, I have developed a strong desire
to help the less fortunate locally and abroad. I met quite a few service men and woman in the Middle
East and Central Asia whom I was able to talk with about their tours . ..,Their selflessness and dedication
were admirable qualities Alex clearly displayed throughout his life. Since I was young, I have always
wanted to fly. My original goal was to fly after attending a service academy. ~Throughout my experience
at Mines, my desire to become a pilot only grew. Working full time as an engineer at Lockheed Martin
was definitely not the life I had intended. I took out a school loan in January and began flying at Rocky
Mountain Flight School with Tim.• I will start work this fall at Lockheed Martin while continuing to work
towards my commercial license ~ I would love the opportunity to fly for a humanitarian organization in
Afghanistan, Africa or really anywhere the year after next. After flying abroad, I will apply to the
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences which is the Department of Defense medical
school that trains military doctors to practice good medicine in bad places. I admire Alex for so many of
the traits he humbly displayed throughout his life. Our mutual passion of adrenaline is obvious in all the
pictures that I saw in his scrapbook.
Another obvious trait we shared was our faith. This being the most important, I wish I could honestly tell
you how many times each day I think of his quote, If I fall, I will go to God. The quote is absolutely
awesome and I love it. From the short time I spoke with you all, I know Alex and I would have been great
friends and gotten along real well.. lt makes me sad that this is the only way I was able to get to know
him. But I can say from the bottom of my heart that Alex lived a full life. He accomplished much more at
25 than most will, ever. He was blessed to have such an amazing family around him to make the
adventurous and loving person that he was.t When I walked in to the flight school on the ceremony day,
I was overwhelmed with a feeling of love. I know there was a special presence in that room that day and
I am so thankful I was able to be part of it. When I walk through the front door of the flight school, I can
vividly remember the feeling I had that day and seeing the look on each of your faces. The incredible
impact Alex had will never be forgotten. I am so sorry for you to lose your son, to lose your brother. If
there is anything I can ever do to help your family or the Alex Gilmer Scholarship, please let me know.
You are all wonderful people.
With Love,
David Pesek
2011 Scholarship Recipient