Fallen Thunderbird Pilot Maj. Del Bagno Memorialized Through Florida Tech Scholarship Fund

During this year’s 2019 Melbourne Airshow, funds were raised to establish the Stephen “Cajun” Del Bagno Memorial Scholarship fund. Just ten days after his performance at last year’s Airshow, Stephen Del Bagno lost his life in a training incident in Nevada.

This year, attendees to the airshow contributed through ticket purchases and raffles to the fund which will support Florida Tech aviation students who have a strong desire to fly, but a need for support in tuition and flight fees.

Stephen always promoted young people to follow their dreams. He once said “the biggest thing I learned throughout my career, and what I tell all of the kids when I start talking to them, is, in life, you are going to hear a lot of no’s, and sometimes it’s just a test of your resolve…So, no matter what it is and how bad you want it, as long as you work hard and don’t accept no as a final answer, you can always turn a no into a yes.”

To pass on his memory and passion for aviation, the scholarship fund was created at Florida Tech to support current students pursuing the same aviation dreams.

$25,000 was committed to establish the scholarship. Cajun’s parents, Joe and Cindy Del Bagno, were present and expressed their deepest gratitude for this fund which will perpetuate Stephen’s memory.  

Several plane rides and a 50/50 raffle took place on Sunday. Former Trustee, Joe M. Flammio, won a ride in the B-25 Panchito raffle enjoyed by his daughter Melissa.

If you would like to support the MAJ. STEPHEN “CAJUN” DEL BAGNO SCHOLARSHIP FUND, please click here.