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How my dad faked a heart attack while teaching me how to fly a plane at age 13 – Zanetor Rawlings

The Member of Parliament for Korle Klottey, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has revealed that at the age of 13, she not only knew how to drive a vehicle but also how to fly an airplane.

During an interview on GHOne’s Starr Chat on June 27, 2024, Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings shared that her late father, former President Jerry John Rawlings, began teaching her how to drive and fly at a very young age.

She recalled the day she flew a plane solo for the first time, a moment when her father pretended to have a heart attack while they were flying together to test her readiness to fly alone.

The legislator for Korle Klottey recounted how her father instructed her to land the plane due to his supposed heart attack, and after she successfully landed, he exited the plane and encouraged her to take off on her own.

“I flew my first plane at age 13. It was a circuit. He (her father) was braver than I was. It is a funny scenario because it was one of those situations where as a parent he taught me how to fly, had watched me, he knew what I was capable of; so, he got out of the plane and said go.

“What he did before was, as we were on final, he said he had a heart attack so I have to land the plane. I shut his eyes and I caught, what is this man doing. And I thought okay, I have to land this plane which I did. And I think for him, that was his way of testing whether I would be able to do it,” she narrated.

The MP added, “And then he got out and said, ‘you are ready, go’. And I looked at him, I was scared actually because I thought ‘I don’t know’ and he said ‘you are ready, go’. So, I did, I went and of course I was praying the whole way.”

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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