Lewis Turner, Sunday, November 6th, 2011

The Blue Angels and a Ponte Vedra woman with aviation in her blood share the same birthday.

Delayed arrivals at the airport, sure, but Carol DiGiusto's story may be the ultimate in delays. "Flying, hangars and airports were all a part of my growing up," DiGiusto said.

Her mother and father were pilots. "Our great Sunday afternoon outings would be sitting at the end of a runway watching planes land and takeoff," she said.

The pilot gene puddle hopped a generation though; her son and daughter-in-law are pilots. "I'm the grounded one, I'm the only one in the family but someone has to be," said DiGiusto.

The Blue Angels will perform this weekend starting Saturday and continuing through Sunday at NAS Jax.

Visiting the tarmac at Craig Municipal Airport Friday is like a homecoming for DiGiusto, she said, considering how much time she spent here and at other airfields growing up.

But there's a deeper connection between her and the field. The Blue Angels had their first performance at Craig on June 15, 1946.

And she was born the same day the Angels were.

"I'm proud of my birthday," she said. "It's June 15, 1946."

But that's just the beginning. Her mother and father, both pilots, were excited to see what this new team was all about. "That was a very exciting day for them, but on the way my mother went into labor with me."

Her father did the right thing and went straight to the hospital instead of the air show. But that's when the line between right and wrong gets a little fuzzy.

The doctor set to deliver DiGiusto was also a pilot, also excited about seeing the Blue Angels and decided there was plenty of time.

"So the obstetrician and my father drive out and leave my mom to have me at the hospital."

"I think my mother must have been so mad that she wasn't going to let me be born until they both got back," she said laughing.

So even though she doesn't get behind the controls herself, for her aviation is a huge part of her entire life.

"It seems no matter what I do, flight is going to be involved."

Source: http://wtlvwjxx.com/uW8pMo