08/31/2026
Meet Jim DeFrancesco!
Jim is our lovely founder and chairman here at Race for Life Rescue. His interest in becoming a pilot began at a very young age. He was fascinated by the combination of skill, discipline, technology, and freedom that comes with flying, and he took up flying as a hobby throughout his young adult life. While his professional career as an
entrepreneur took him in a different direction, his passion for flying remained strong throughout his adult life. This combination of his work, his passion, and his love for animals led him and his wife, Pam, to found Race for Life Rescue.
Like most professional pilots, Jim’s preflight ritual involves preparation and consistency. He goes through standard checks of the airplane, evaluates the weather, and ensures the crew is prepared before lift-off. His most memorable experience as a pilot occurred
during a Race for Life mission following Hurricane Ian. While nothing particularly exciting happened during the flight, it shifted how he viewed what aviation could accomplish and “helped transform an idea into an organization that has since flown over 12,000 animals to safety.”
Jim and Pam have always had a dog in the family. Currently, they have a Maltipoo named Daisy. At five months old, she was surrendered to a shelter after her back leg was broken due to children roughhousing.
She originally came to them as a foster, but they fell in love at first sight and decided to adopt. Daisy has become a much-loved addition to the family, and reminded Jim that each animal that Race for Life Rescue helps has the potential to become someone’s Daisy: “…the pet sleeping next to someone at night, greeting them when they come home, traveling with them, comforting them during a difficult period, and becoming part of the family.”
