An Evening of Belief and Gratitude

World’s first licensed pilot to fly with just her feet, Jessica Cox stands next to her portrait that will hang in the Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.

The evening felt almost like a dream.

Inside the Pima Air & Space Museum, I looked out and saw so many faces from different chapters of my aviation journey. Friends, mentors, supporters, fellow aviation enthusiasts, and people who had believed in me long before moments like this ever felt possible were gathered in one room. Among them was someone very special: my middle school English teacher.

That presence meant more than I can fully express. It reminded me that no journey is ever built alone. Every dream is shaped by the people who encourage us, challenge us, and believe in us when we are still learning to believe in ourselves.

Being inducted into the Hall of Fame was not just an honor. It was a reminder of the power of belief.

After I was introduced, I walked onto the stage and shared one of the hardest moments from my flight training. It happened during landing practice. Again and again, I felt like I was hitting a wall. I could fly the airplane, but landing required a level of timing, control, and confidence that felt just out of reach.

There are moments in every meaningful journey when progress feels impossible. For me, that moment came while learning to land.

During that difficult season, my flight instructor, Parrish, pulled me aside and said something simple: “You got this.”

Those words stayed with me.

Sometimes, we need someone who believes in us more than we believe in ourselves. That kind of belief can carry us through the hardest part of the journey. It does not remove the challenge, but it gives us the courage to keep trying.

As I stood in the museum that evening, I thought about how many people had done that for me. Teachers. Instructors. Friends. Family. Supporters. People who saw possibility before I could fully see it myself.

I closed my remarks by thanking the Pima Air & Space Museum for the opportunity to inspire any child who walks through its doors with self-doubt about what they can achieve. When a child looks up at the Hall of Fame wall and sees the photo of a pilot who flies with her feet, I hope it reassures them that possibility is bigger than fear.

I hope it tells them: you belong here too.

That is what made the evening so meaningful. It was not only a celebration of one aviation milestone. It was a celebration of every person who chooses to believe, every mentor who speaks courage into someone else’s life, and every child who needs a visible reminder that their future is not limited by what others assume.

Belief is a powerful thing.

And on that unforgettable night, I was surrounded by it.