Hendrick crew transport precious cargo from Haiti (cont'd)

Typically, January is a month of rest and recuperation for Hendrick Motorsport's aviation department. Flight mechanics, pilots and flight attendants work a rigorous schedule during NASCAR's regular season that starts in February and doesn't end until November.

Nevertheless, when the boss said he wanted to help the victims in Haiti his employees lined up to help, volunteering their personal time and personal safety.

In addition to Dudley, five captain-level pilots, one operations manager, a mechanic and two flight attendants are a part of the Hendrick missions staying in Fort Pierce until further notice.

Marshall Carlson, general manager for Hendrick Motorsports, said the amount of support from the employees and team sponsors is amazing.

"So many folks stepped forward," Carlson said. "Rick said yesterday if everybody waited for someone else to help they'd never get any help, so we reach out when we can."

And because of Hendrick's generosity, members of the NASCAR family are benefiting as well.

Driver Mike Wallace's family who supports a children's medical clinic in Haiti received support from physicians flown in on the Hendrick plane. Emily Woodward who works in NASCAR's Charlotte, N.C. office was able to turn to Hendrick's mission flights when her family needed help shipping the body of a deceased family friend back to the United States.

"We were struggling to get his body home to North Carolina and heard about the Hendrick planes. They were the conduit, the one missing piece that was able to gain closure for the family," Woodward said.

Hendrick sponsors are stepping up to the plate as well.

To date, team sponsors have donated $3.8 million to relief efforts in Haiti.

Meanwhile, back in Fort Pierce, Dudley can't help but think about the orphans on the plane; the impression they left with him. He also thinks about his boss, Mr. Hendrick, who lost his son in a team plane crash five years ago.

"I know this one is tugging at his heart," Dudley said. "You can't help but wonder if this is the earth moving in a good way, something is happening for us and it's bringing orphans home to loving families."