Dreams Take Flight

The Story of Deaf Pilot Nellie Zabel Willhite

Nellie Zabel Willhites story dips and soars like an airplane in flight.

After losing her hearing at four and following a tumultuous education, Nellie Zabel was introduced to the world of flight while working at the Sioux Falls airport. The planes and pilots captured her imagination as she watched them sail alongside the birds. With some encouragement, she enrolled in pilot trainingcarefully tailoring the courses to accommodate her deafness. In 1928, she took off on her own, becoming the first female pilot in South Dakotaand the first deaf pilot in the nation.

This Own Voices, Own Stories Award winning book tells Nellies story from the perspective of an author with a hearing loss and is supported by Easterseals.