U.S. Air Force pilot ‘waves’ to son during fly-over of White Rock pier amid COVID-19 border closure

WHITE ROCK (NEWS 1130) — Four-year-old Ethan Fritz stood on the White Rock pier Friday morning and waved at his dad who was 1,000 feet above him in a U.S. Air Force transport plane.

His dad waved back by tipping the wing of the massive 128-tonne aircraft.

“He did a airshow for me. He tipped his wings at me,” Ethan tells NEWS 1130. “Flap, flap, flap.”

It’s the closest the two have come to each other in four months.

Ethan’s mom, Alyssa, says her son — clutching a hand-made sign with a message for his father — was speechless.

“Honestly, he’s never been so quiet. He was just at full attention,” Alyssa recalls.

“It was a memory I know that will be there forever because you could just see in his little eyes, you could see him absorbing it.”

Ethan hasn’t seen his dad, Lt.-Col T.K. Minzak, since his fourth birthday on March 7.

Minzak is a pilot for Alaska Airlines and flies reserve for the U.S. Air Force. He lives in Seattle which is where Ethan spent most of his young life.

Before the U.S.-Canada border was closed Ethan would spend about 10 days a month with his father.

“He’s really missing him. He really has a heartache for sure,” Alyssa says.

“We haven’t been able to get together. So, it’s been a lot of time on FaceTime.”

‘He just wanted to get as close as possible’

Alyssa and Ethan came to White Rock to stay with family early in the pandemic because Ethan has some lung problems. Minzak’s job as a commercial pilot puts him into contact with a lot of people, and Washinton state continues to see surging COVID-19 numbers. While getting together in person may be possible, Alyssa says it’s risky.

So Minzak got creative.

“He just wanted to get as close as possible,” Alyssa says.

The fly-over required clearance from the Air Force and border officials

“Everybody just worked together and then he told me just the day before. So, we were sure excited,” Alyssa says.

The rumbling engine of the hulking grey plane, and the fact that it was flying so low alarmed people at the pier and those living nearby.

“We could hear him, it’s a very loud aircraft you can hear it before you can see it,” Alyssa explains.

“It did get some attention and maybe some worry … I’m thankful that I only caught wind of it the night before. I really went back and forth on whether it was a good idea.”

Ultimately, she decided it was worth it if it meant her son got a visit from his dad.

Minzak had a friend film a video of what was happening inside the place while Alyssa and Ethan watched from below.

Ethan comes from a “family of aviation,” his dad, grandpa, and uncle are all pilots.

“So of course he wants to be a pilot,” Alyssa says.

Ethan and his mom spent Friday night reliving the excitement of the flyover.

“He drew the cutest little picture on his chalkboard of the whole event.”