‘Closer to Heaven’: How a Young Pilot’s Faith Lifts Him Beyond Paralysis

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By Makeilah Law, Church News

Lamar Folkett of the Leicester England Stake describes himself as a “massive military enthusiast.” 

“I have always wanted to be in the military my entire life, basically — preferably the Royal Air Force or the army,” he said. 

But he cannot enlist. Folkett was born with spina bifida — a condition where the spine doesn’t develop properly in the womb. Since he is paralyzed from the waist down, he does what he says is the “next best thing.” 

The 20-year-old flies airplanes. 

Folkett said he’s always had a passion for flying, and his mother, Satomi Folkett, wanted to help him achieve his dream. After some research, she found Aerobility — a U.K. charity that teaches disabled individuals like Folkett how to fly airplanes. 

He has been learning how to fly with an instructor for seven years, soaring over many famous landmarks in Britain he said are “indescribable.” 

Folkett looks forward to clearing his head in the skies when things become difficult. Though he said some consider flying overwhelming, he doesn’t feel that way. 

“It’s actually not that stressful; it’s freeing.” 

Yet for Folkett, the journey to take flight looks different from most. Tasks such as getting into the airplane and using the plane’s controls require a unique approach. 

Still, that doesn’t keep him from taking off. 

Since Folkett can’t use the plane’s foot pedals, he uses a hand-control attachment instead. 

“It’s all challenges I navigate around,” he said. 

A Testimony Refined by Flight 

The young pilot also said flying has strengthened his faith. 

“It gives you a better picture in a spiritual sense of what God created for us,” he said, “It’s almost like being closer to heaven.” 

But those moments of awe haven’t come without close calls. Birds and other aircraft have flown alarmingly close to his plane, putting Folkett in dangerous circumstances where he said he’s been saved. 

“Normally, I’m relatively slow in terms of my reactions and hand-eye coordination. However, when I’m flying, all that seems to somewhat vanish, and I’m usually on top of the game,” he remarked. 

With his advanced reaction time — a gift he says he is blessed to have in the skies — Folkett managed to recover from those circumstances, attributing it to God’s awareness of him. 

“Heavenly Father knows that this is something I love, so He gives me the ability to do things properly.” 

He said those experiences have strengthened his testimony, too. 

“Heavenly Father protected me so many times,” he said, “I can’t deny there is a God.” 

Lessons From a King 

Flying is just one of many interests Folkett is passionate about. When he isn’t in the cockpit, he volunteers at the King Richard III Visitor Centre in Leicester, offering his knowledge to meandering visitors and explaining how various sites connect to King Richard’s life and reign. 

Many details of King Richard capture Folkett’s interest, but his favorite fact is that King Richard had scoliosis. 

But despite his condition, King Richard accomplished feats as a king and warrior — a fact that inspires Folkett. 

“If he had scoliosis and could do it, what can I do? Obviously quite a lot.” 

Folkett’s dedication to his volunteer work was reflected this year when he was nominated and named a finalist for the prestigious Young Person of the Year Award at the Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire’s Awards, which recognizes the contributions made by young people across England. 

“It was incredible, I was in so much shock,” he said, remembering the moment he found out. 

He balances his volunteer work with college, where he is enrolled in a course that teaches disabled people how to prepare for a job. 

Even with his focus, he admits the college environment can be spiritually trying. But listening to music, specifically the Tabernacle Choir on Temple Square, has helped him stay true to his values. 

“I’ve just got that going all day while I’m at college,” he said. ”It just gives me that rope to heaven." 

Folkett said that hymns are a type of prayer. 

“It’s like I’m constantly praying for help and being shielded from the sins of the world.” 

This year has been full of change for Folkett, and his mother says he has met each step with faith. 

Folkett moved to supported living from his family home. Although the move didn’t require him to switch wards, he chose to attend a new one anyway — forgoing the support network he could have kept from his childhood ward. 

These changes raised concerns for his mother, who said she would’ve made them gradually. But, true to who he is, she noted, “He wants to do what the Lord wants him to do.” 

His temporal shifts were matched by significant spiritual ones as well. 

“He’s really driven,” Satomi Folkett said, as she spoke about her son’s decision to receive his temple endowment. She recalled telling him it wasn’t a decision he needed to rush, but he insisted it was what he wanted. 

Folkett organized temple preparation classes with his priesthood leader, and his ministering brothers helped him prepare to go through the temple, which he attends regularly. 

Though Folkett’s faith and optimism contribute to his productive life, there have been moments when he wishes he wasn’t in a wheelchair — a “darker side” people don’t see, when he wishes he could do more. 

But he says his knowledge of the gospel helps, deepening his understanding of his divine identity. 

“There is a reason why I was sent here, and there is a reason for my existence,” he said. 

He has learned that although things are hard and can seem impossible to overcome, he can do it with the support of his family, the Spirit and God. 

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