Meet Captain Crystal

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Captain Crystal. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Captain, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

Mark Twain wrote, The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you found out why. This has always been my very favorite quote and reminds me each day how blessed I am to have found the reason I was put on this planet. You see, as a 40 year commercial hot air balloon pilot I was always asked to give rides to people with disabilities. It saddened me to hear they operated out of a wheelchair and would not be able to fulfill that dream of flying due to physical limitations or delicacy when it came to climbing over the basket. It was in 2012 when my life changed with a relocation to the little, out of the way town of Sequim WA in the Olympic Peninsula. It was here where I met three people who once again asked me that very same question of flying and it was here that I changed my way of thinking. You see, one person had an extreme case of cerebral palsy, the other was a senior under the 5’ height and with a walker, and the third had no limbs. This time I put my thinking cap on and replied, “You cannot safely fly in this basket balloon, but let me figure out how to get you in the air.”

I posted to a hot air balloon board “looking for a seated balloon” for people with disabilities since I had heard of a special balloon designed by Italian Paolo Bonanno. Two months later the only one of it’s kind in the world was up for sale on the East Coast. It was Paolo’s chariot balloon and highly sought after being so unique. I placed a bid and won (at that time not knowing where I was going to come up with the thousands of dollars needed for purchase). I then miraculously ran into a local with a non operating 501c3 they didn’t need and acquired that. Next a Board of Directors (most of whom were in wheelchairs) to get their perspective of this adventure in learning. My concern was how to transfer from wheelchair to seat with a 5 point harness. With a registered nonprofit I was now in unfamiliar territory as the Executive Director of Chrysalis IRS ID 91-1269988. I was in muddy waters as I timidly asked for donations and raised the funds to purchase the seat in December 2012. It took years and lots of time going back to the drawing board as I stretched my hot air balloon pilot brain to create and build a beautiful envelope with two butterflies popping out of each side, design a platform at wheelchair height (yah, we went through 3 remodels on this one), acquire a donated 30′ shuttle bus with graphic (bonus). In October 2015 the Seattle Federal Aviation Administration walked across the street to three of us in the misty rain and registered DreamCatcherBalloon.org as an “experimental” aircraft. With a tremendous sigh I was packed and on the road from Washington to New Mexico the next day to change the world at the largest balloon festival in the U.S. (the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta). On the way I broke my foot (that story is for another day) but I didn’t come this far to fail and still gave rides to hundreds during the event. Again…I knew this was my purpose.

So…back to the original question…how did I find my purpose? You can say it found me through divine intervention and the eyes of those who watched from afar in a wheelchair dreaming of flying. It goes to show that we all have the power to BELIEVE and ACHIEVE. It was this willpower of positive thinking that drew together volunteer flight crew, engineers, welders, and sponsors. To this day, my dream has only waivered once. The pandemic canceled 17 events and put a pause on the world as well. However, this gave us a chance to reshape our goals…not only giving rides to those in wheelchairs but to everyone who needed a lift. We shifted from flying one person at a time to a tethered flight (tied to the ground) up to 300’ in the air in a floating and spinning 360 degree aircraft. As the creator and Executive Director of Chrysalis, I have never expected to be compensated and all our crew, welders, engineers, seamstresses have been volunteers as well. We have made it our goal to give everyone a chance to fly on Dream Catcher. With each $25 donation from those who can afford to ride, we are able to give FREE rides to Veterans and kids in wheelchairs.

Major lesson I have learned and incorporated into my life. Be positive! Know there is a reason you are here and everyone who you encounter was put in front of you for a reason. When given lemons…make lemonade! Every challenge is a lesson to allow greatness in yourself and others.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

As an Entrepreneur I am always on the hunt for new and innovative ways to create income. My 93 year old dad always says I can’t keep still. And that is true. My current business was created while I was a Door Dasher during the Pandemic. My income was on hold with my airbnb and hot air balloon ride business which were shut down for most of 2020-21. I was in tears on how to pay rent, eat, keep warm when I was encouraged to drive and drop food. I would text my clients “this is Captain Crystal coming in for a landing in a Kia with hot air balloons”. This was always received with a smile. As a Door Dasher, I would wear rabbit ears at Easter or return to a client with a mocha or cupcake to lighten their day. It was 10 hour days with Lucee (my service dog), but it paid some of the bills. (I confess most of my bills were paid by an airbnb client who could not leave the state and decided it was best to kick in a little extra watching me work so hard.) I drove as much as I could and liked meeting new people. Since there were no tourists my airbnb business, as well as my my ride balloon died and was soon sold in 2022.

So, here I was with a lot of lemons….time to make some lemonade. Tada! Introducing Captain Delivers, LLC a concierge car service driving individuals to Seattle Tacoma International Airport or Seattle Hospitals from Sequim WA. These tours can take up to 2.5 hours each way since Sequim is west of Seattle with access by either two bridges or ferries. I currently work 3 days a week and have two other drivers. My regulars are great, I make my own hours, I help seniors who no longer drive so they can see their doctors or fly to see grandkids, and most of the time Lucee gets to ride along. That’s probably why I created a cartoon logo driving my Kia with a hot air balloon on the door, me in the driver’s seat and Lucee in the passenger seat. I am especially excited that part of the proceeds support my nonprofit Dream Catcher Balloon. A true win win when I need to take a break.

As an Entrepreneur, driving is just one of my many jobs. In the winter I hang up Holiday lights for homes and small businesses. Every year I ask myself if I’m getting too old for this…especially climbing up on roofs or in trees. And since community service is my calling, I also voluntarily create lighted aerial displays during the downtown Sequim Holiday months.

In April 2025 I will be opening up Olympic Dream Tours, a catered driving service for tourists or families visiting the Olympic National Park. With my concierge car and my personal hot air balloon shuttle bus (yes I have two buses), I will be able to show the beauty of the forests and ocean and also incorporate guest sailing, photography and hot air balloon and kayak tours.

This brings me to my third business as the Executive Director of Chrysalis. We were donated a small balloon “Aurora” (the fabric mimics the colors of the Aurora Borealis) with a basket in October 2024. We now have two balloons in our fleet to give rides 300’ in the air with the same love of creating smiles to people with disabilities, seniors, Veterans and those who just need a lift in life. We are always on the lookout for sponsored events and have traveled to the Philippines and throughout the U.S. We are listed on Benevity as a employee matching funds nonprofit. For those interested in donating or contacting us about our program, please email us at www.DreamCatcherBalloon.org

I keep pretty busy. I began senior pageantry in 2020 as Ms Senior United States, then Ms. World United 2023, and now Ms. Senior Universe America 2025. When asked if I would be interested in being a senior queen I was not interested. I was not interested in wearing a swimsuit in a crowd at 60 years. I soon learned this is more than a beauty pageant. It is a time to showcase your cause and find ways to change the world through the contacts met along the way. Unexpectedly, I was amazed to find my tribe in the form of other women who support women and who are also looking for opportunities to change the world. Of course, there are times I am quite shy surrounded by all these amazing individuals (yes, I still compare myself and my little hot air balloon program), but it is at this moment someone will speak to me about their trials and goals and I know I am going to learn a lesson or two which will enable me to take the next step.

It took me a long time to discover who I am and what I can do. Sometimes the road tries to trip me. That is the time I remember who I am. There is no finish line. Someone asked me once why I am so happy all the time…that just ain’t natural. I replied with a smile, “I found my purpose and joy in life by being of service. It ain’t for everyone, but it sure works for me.” I am blessed and always look at the fears that may arise as adventures in disguise. You see, I believe I have only to ask…spiritually or vocally and it is given. I have been awarded for my community service and nonprofit activities locally as well as state and international and I’m humble and blessed to have received many from The Global Beauty Awards.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Three skills…this is a difficult question since as I wear many hats my skill set changes on a regular basis.

Skill #1: BE FLUID. As a situation arises learn to find the EASIEST path through the turmoil. This would be floating downstream. The more you go against the water, the more you are left just sitting in one place not able to move forward. Turn your thinking around and ask yourself (I do this often) What would it take to>……. Then meditate and listen for the answer. Of course, it may surprise you but resistance is futile (Star Trek reference).

Skill #2: TAKE A NAP. When you are overwhelmed. When confusion is clouding the issue. When everyone wants something and you are at the end of your patience. Take a nap. I call this my RESET. I learned this years ago. Lie down and take a time out. Be refreshed and start over. I’m always surprised how this works for me. And, of course, as yourself the question What would it take?

Skill #3: PAY NO MIND. (The Last Samurai reference…good flick with Tom Cruise) Your idea is brilliant. Those around you have other opinions. They think you are nuts. Why try? PAY NO MIND. This means Don’t Care What Others Think. I know that is hard. Someone taught me in business and personal to be selfish. Only you can see the full outcome of your dreams. These are NOT your friends dreams or families hopes…they are yours and yours alone. You got this. You can do this. BELIEVE in yourself. Listen to your heart and head and strategies by doing what? Yup…ask the question “What would it take?” By the way I was taught that from a Lakota Shaman and it has been the best advice. I thank her in my thoughts every day. (Of course, she is also the one who said, “What stupid thing did you do to stop this …..” I then learned I was only a victim to my thoughts and actions and decided to be the warrior woman inside and the solution was so obvious after that. Thank you Susan!)

We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?

I have realized in my many wise years that there are people who are great at things and others that are somewhat lacking. We all have the opportunity to reach our level of incompetence (yes this is a thing and called The Peter Principle). As we excel in tasks at hand, we see avenues for promotion based on our original strengths. And, as we climb up the ladder we may run into scenarios that our skills may not be able to tackle. We are then not able to give our greatest strength to the organization and the project may falter until someone else steps forward and creates more opportunities for success.

Let’s put this in a more personal perspective. I am a public relations and marketing expert. I have a degree in Radio/Television Broadcasting and Communications. I have been a brand ambassador and a third generation, commercial hot air balloon pilot for over 40 years. I have secured and promoted many corporate accounts such as Seagrams, Absolut Vodka, Coco-Cola, Kelloggs, KOOL, Klein Tools, PPG/CART Indy Racing to name a few. I have flown around the world, been on Good Morning America, Good Day Detroit, magazines, television, and newspapers. I have written the operations manual for hot air balloons for the Civil Aeronautical Aviation in New Zealand, I have flown and won hot air balloon championships and been awarded awards of distinction. I operated a successful aviation business from 1996 to 2022 with Morning Star Balloon Co. I operated a flight school and taught the next generation of lighter than air pilots. I have presided at aviation clubs and safety seminars in the Northwest. AND….(take a deep breath) I am not proficient in accounting. Hmmmmm that sounds weird right? My strengths are visual, creative, communicative, and engaging audiences in fantasy of flight. Math? Accounting? Numbers are jumbled in my brain. I would rather hire someone whose greatest strength is numbers. Why would I wish to reach a level of incompetence when given the task as a business owner of balancing my accounting books? That would be a disaster and I am happy I know this fact which allows me to bow down to someone with the skills I do not possess…no matter how many classes I have taken.

Lesson learned? Be your best self. You know your strengths. My advice, utilize them and soar. You will attract success because you will radiate confidence. Got a weakness? Ask and see who steps forward. It is good to be humble and know you need to fill in a void in your business or personal scenario. It’s okay to admit you lack the skills. If you can be educated to acquire that skill more power to you. You can’t get it wrong. There is neither good or bad. If it is easy to improve your self that is awesome! If not, then look for those who have the strengths you desire.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.DreamCatcherBalloon.org
• Instagram: captaincrystalstout
• Facebook: fb: DreamCatcherBalloon fb: CaptainDelivers fb: CaptainCrsytalStout
• Youtube: captcrystal

Image Credits

Photographer, Amber Wheeler
Sequim Living Magazine, August 2020