MURRIETA, Calif. — Have you ever seen someone famous in person but didn't have the nerve to say hello? In this Zevely Zone, I went to the French Valley Airport in Murrieta with a missed opportunity do-over.
First, we need to share a little back story about a big stunt. Last year on the reality show, Diesel Brothers, both the fans in the stands and a national television audience watched a first in extreme sports.
Truck driver Heavy D and pilot Anthony Oshinuga performed a stunt where for the first time ever a monster truck jumped over a moving plane.
Anthony Oshinuga, the San Diego pilot flying that plane says when Monster Jam first called him to suggest that stunt.
"I hung up the phone. I thought it was a joke, I thought it was literally a prank," said Anthony.
Oshinuga says Monster Jam called right back and the rest is history. The legend of the stunt pilot grew even larger and this is a man who has logged thousands of hours in air show aerobatic airplanes. Anthony Oshinuga is a type of famous where some people know him and some people don't but a couple of weeks ago at the French Valley Cafe a ten-year-old boy couldn't believe his eyes.
"We were just sitting eating then we saw this guy wearing a Diesel Brothers shirt," said 10-year old Trace Laney. Trace was sure it was Anthony Oshinuga, but when he asked his mom to go over and say hello.
"She didn't believe me," said Trace.
His mother Heidi told me, "I said he has sunglasses and hat on and there is no way you can tell that is him."
Just like the moment itself, Anthony was there and gone.
"Yeah, we missed him, and I felt really bad and he went in and out and in the bathroom like twice," said Heidi who posted about the disappointment on Facebook.
Oshinuga heard about the missed opportunity and organized a do-over. We were there when Anthony snuck up behind the 10-year old boy and said, "What's up Trace? Are you Trace? What's up, man? I heard a lot about you buddy. I guess we are be going flying today too. Not in a Monster Truck but in an airplane."
We watched a boy's dream come true and off they went. "Oh my god are you freaking out right now?" said Heidi to her son.
Let's hear it for blue skies, do-overs, and letting your imagination soar!
If you'd like to fly with Anthony Oshinuga, he offers tours over Temecula's Wine Country with a program where kids fly free. For more information go to airoshi.com.