Sanford’s longest-serving medical pilot retires

You might not be able to get ahold of Sherwin Bolks right now.

For the past 42 years, he’s been on call as Sanford Health’s longest-serving medical pilot for their AirMed program. With a phone or pager ever in his pocket, whether at church or a baseball game or having dinner on Christmas Eve, he’s been ready for the next trauma patient within 15 minutes.

Bolks retired in May.

“I’m actually walking away from my phone, maybe running to the store without it,” Bolks said. “I’ve just always had in the back of my mind that somebody needs help right away. I think it will take a while to get used to this.”

The same goes for his team. Sanford’s vice president of air transportation Mike Christianson said Bolks was a “legend in our world.” As the most-tenured pilot among nearly 50 other fifth-wings, he was “always jovial, very reassuring, and the guy everyone wanted to be around.”

“Sherwin always made people feel more comfortable when they were really unsure of what was going to happen at that time,” Christianson said. “He will definitely be missed.”

'Patients put a high level of trust in me'

Sanford’s critical care air ambulance operation began in 1977, after receiving a federal grant to reduce the state’s infant mortality rate. Still today, the program most often specializes in neonatal, obstetric and pediatric care. Including a need for stabilizing treatment, well over 100,000 patients have been served since the aviation program’s inception.

Bolks started in 1984 and likely provided more than 250 flights a year across the Upper Midwest. Sanford takes off from remote bases in Bismarck, Dickinson, Fargo, North Dakota; and Bemidji, Minnesota., but Bolks said he’d fly far beyond their footprint for critical care patients and corporate “outreach flights” − doctors and nurses needing to get to patients who couldn’t travel.

It was “like a light switch I needed to turn on and off,” Bolks said, to not emotionally connect with the situation and “just do my job and get them on the ground safely.”

Bolks has a warm and hearty voice, like a jolly grandfather who was always “wise cracking” and making you laugh, Christianson said. Moreover, he has the kind of presence that relaxes you and a smile that makes you feel safe. Anyone would take a hug from Bolks.

“Patients were putting a high level of trust in me that I’d get them somewhere safely,” said Bolks, who would also assist with loading and unloading patients, always communicate on flight duration and flying conditions and “take some of the stress away.”

“They need that assurance," he said.

An aspiring mentor in ambulance aviation

Sanford AirMed operates with nine aircraft in service 24/7: five turboprop King Air 200s and four EC 145 helicopters, most of which Bolks has flown.

“I like my wings to stand still,” he said.

Christianson said Bolks was a whiz in the air, a leader who knew the region and all airports well. He took time to build meaningful relationships with the FAA, hospital executives and the more than 200 nurses and paramedics.

“He knows how this program works and was always a good teacher for the young guys coming in,” Christianson said.

Bolks would write training manuals for new staff and helped to initiate a safety program for the team.

Early on, AirMed was only a two-plane service. By 1986, the program became one of the first hospitals operating on-demand charter flights with its FAA Park 135 license.

“We were hauling patients nonstop,” Bolks said, adding that the team was also facing short narrow runways, with little or no room to approach, and no weather reporting at the smaller airports.

But this was never an obligation, Bolks said. It was a privilege, and one his family supported well.

“Honestly, this is a family job,” said Bolks, who raised four kids with his wife and has two grandchildren today. “If you go out to dinner, you need to take two cars. When the pager goes off in the middle of the night, you’re gone. You get callous to it after a while.”

What’s next on the ground?

Bolks’ grandson was asleep in the backseat of his car when he sat in the front and spoke recently with the Argus Leader.

“I’m on Grandpa Daycare today,” he said. “We have a blast together.”

But that’s not all he has planned for his retirement. He’s got a motorcycle “waiting to get worn out,” then plans to buy a camper next year. 

Of course, he’s always the pilot who likes an adventure, a “challenge” that keeps him young. He first learned to fly with his brother when he was 16 years old.

To honor Bolks’ retirement, his team performed a traditional water cannon salute at Maverick Air Center for his final flight on a sunny day.  Family arrived to watch firetrucks spray an arch of water as his airplane taxied through the curtain, a symbolic farewell and nod to his service.

“He has done his duty for the organization,” Christianson said. “We’re very grateful for the time we had with him.”

Blue skies and tailwinds on your next journey, Captain Bolks.