Theodore "Teddy" Payne was nominated by his grandfather, Tim Phelps. Tim shared the following sentiment about Theodore and his support:
"Teddy—my grandson—was the one who got me into RC flying in the first place.
It started with me just driving him to the field. He was the one with the planes, the excitement, the questions, and the steady determination to learn how to fly better every time we went out. I was just the ride, happy to watch him do something he clearly loved. But Teddy had a different idea. He didn’t just want me there—he wanted us to share it.
He kept encouraging me to get involved. Not in a pushy way, but in that quiet, persistent way kids sometimes have when they really want you to be part of their world. So I tried it. And before long, I wasn’t just watching anymore—I was learning, crashing, improving, laughing, and slowly becoming part of the same rhythm he already had.
Now when we’re at the field, it’s not him and me separately—it’s us.
We plan flights together, talk through ideas, and share the same focus when the plane is in the air. Teddy still has that same excitement he had from the beginning, but now it’s matched with something even better: a shared experience he built between us.
What I didn’t expect was how much that would matter. The flying is fun, but what stays with me is everything around it—the conversations on the drive, the time spent setting up, the problem-solving when something doesn’t go right, and the quiet satisfaction of a good landing.
Teddy didn’t just teach me a hobby. He built a bridge between us using it."
