Shaun Campbell has called Campbell home for the past 35 years. Since the 1980s, he’s been a part of our annual California tomato harvest, helping turn fresh, ripe tomatoes into delicious soups, sauces and salsas. Shaun started his career weighing tomato trucks in Sacramento and now oversees all production operations at our Dixon Plant. Shaun has been a dedicated and valuable member of this team for many years, and his hard work and generosity do not go unnoticed.
Shaun has been a volunteer pilot with Angel Flight West for the past 10 years, helping to fly sick patients to and from their treatments flying a 182 Cessna Skylane, completely pro bono. He’s done about 40 round trips during this time.
“I always wanted to learn to how to fly,” Shaun recounted, having earned his pilot’s license 19 years ago. “I love to fly, and I love to help people.”
While flying a young man to receive cancer treatments, Shaun asked how he was doing on the flight. “He responded, ‘Pretty tired, but don’t tell my mom. I don’t want her to worry,” Shaun remembered. “How incredible – how brave – to think of his mom’s feelings when he was going through so much!”
Although he could empathize with the people he was flying – many of whom call him “Captain Shaun” – he could never understand what they were truly going through during their treatments. Two years ago, that all changed when Shaun was diagnosed with cancer himself.
“My experience flying all these sick, brave people all those year – especially kids – gave me courage,” Shaun recalled. And his Campbell family in Dixon and Sacramento supported him, driving him to his treatments and checking in often.
After rounds of treatments, Shaun is now healthy and cancer-free. The strength and fight he sees in the patients is why he continues to fly for Angel Flights.
The generosity of Shaun Campbell does not go unnoticed to his Campbell co-workers. Through Shaun’s work, he brings the value “Do Right Be Real” to life. His love for flying and compassion for those going through hard times have led him to finding a hobby that is making such a difference in many people’s lives.