Garrett ‘ Cleetus McFarland ’ Mitchell ’ s race to the rescue By Madelyn Marconi

Hundreds of miles away , Garrett Mitchell , a 2023 Drag Illustrated 30 Under 30 honoree and owner of the Freedom Factory in Bradenton , Florida , received a phone call from a friend seeking assistance with rescue relief efforts . Mitchell and his wife , Madison , quickly sprang into action . The YouTube star was presented with the perfect opportunity to use “ Consuela ,” a baby blue MD500 helicopter and the most recent addition to his diverse fleet of vehicles .

What was supposed to be a date night for the couple turned into a four-hour journey from southwest Florida to the home of retired NAS- CAR driver Greg Biffle in western North Carolina . Biffle contacted Mitchell , offered his home for them to stay , and also volunteered to take part in a privately initiated mission called “ Operation Airdrop .”

Over 30 hours of flight time , Mitchell navigated Consuela through challenging terrain to drop off essential supplies and transport people , including a mother and four-month-old baby , out of

ravaged communities . The power of social media became apparent as the Mitchells ’ efforts quickly spread , resulting in over $ 250,000 in donations for supplies , food , water , and jet fuel . Many people in desperate need of evacuations were able to connect with pilots through social media and provide GPS coordinates of their exact location .

“ Craziest things I ’ ve ever seen in my life today . Madi is crushing it communicating with other pilots and volunteers . Consuela is running awesome ,” Mitchell said in an update to his followers .

More than 30 private helicopter pilots joined

“ Operation Airdrop ” and successfully evacuated 143 people , transported 26,000 pounds of supplies , and provided 152 Starlink internet connection kits as government resources began to trickle in . While waiting for fuel , Consuela shared the tarmac with U . S . military transport aircraft , including CH-47 Chinooks , Black Hawk helicopters , and a C-17 Globemaster full of supplies .

After three long days , the Mitchells returned home safely but also exhausted and riddled with emotion from helping complete strangers and witnessing the mass destruction of communities in the path of Hurricane Helene . A recap video of the rescue efforts posted to his YouTube channel showed Mitchell taking

pride in the aircraft ’ s performance , especially after being grounded for 10 years . As fate would have it , Consuela was picked up after receiving a full restoration at Thoroughbred Aviation in Louisville , Kentucky , just one week before the storm hit .

“ I ’ m so proud of this machine and what it ’ s become . This helicopter was abandoned in Venezuela and now she ’ s out here helping people out ,” the Florida racetrack owner said .

On YouTube , Garrett Mitchell is best known as “ Cleetus McFarland ,” a lively Chevrolet-loving patriot with a relatable sense of a humor and passion for horsepower . However , his brave rescue efforts show that his on-camera persona truly reflects his genuine character – a compassionate person who is willing to race to the rescue for people in need . Quite frankly , it doesn ’ t get more American than that . DI

PHOTOGRAPHS BY GARRETT MITCHELL