Local Vet Is Still Flying High

Keelan McNulty now pilots EMS helicopters...and the drop-off line at school

By Ross Boissoneau | May 18, 2024

If you're looking for Keelan McNulty, you might find him on a bike escorting kids to school. Unless he's the guy piloting a helicopter. Or maybe driving around in that brightly-colored van. Wait, isn’t that him greeting kids and parents in the school drop-off line?

The correct answer is all the above.

From the Military to Michigan

McNulty grew up in a small town on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. His interest in sports led him to the local Junior ROTC, which in turn led to his interest in attending West Point. When that didn’t work out, McNulty opted to go to Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana, and study business management. He continued with ROTC, and his life changed forever when he rode in a helicopter.

“I thought, ‘I could be a pilot,’” he says. “I focused on that.”

Upon formally entering the military, McNulty’s assignments took him to Alabama, then South Korea, Alaska, and Iraq. He admits the time in Iraq was intense, where he took command in combat. “It’s what I trained to do,” he says matter-of-factly. As a 28-year-old, he was flying soldiers into and out of combat, “and brought everybody home safe.”

From there it was back to Alaska, where he met his future wife, Meri. A native of Iron Mountain, she was attending medical school at Michigan State and also was a ski racer, hence the time in Alaska.

Her medical studies took the couple to Cleveland for four years, where McNulty was able to get on the Cleveland Clinic EMS helicopter team. While he longed to go back out West, Meri received an offer to work at Munson Medical Center as an anesthesiologist. So McNulty did what he always does and embraced the opportunity.

Never one to watch the world go by, his three years as a stay-at-home dad found him involved with youth cycling program Norte and TBAYS Youth Soccer. McNulty has since returned to piloting and now works for North Flight Aero Med, a partnership between Corewell Health and Munson Healthcare that provides critical-care air ambulance service across northern Michigan.

In his free time, he pilots the family’s multi-colored camper van that’s often seen around town. McNulty says the van serves as a base camp for family adventures, from skiing to soccer games to trips to the various beaches around the area. “We never had the intention to live in it. It’s been a game changer. We sleep all five of us,” he says, though as their kids grow, he admits space is growing tighter.

McNulty has also become an active member of the school community at Eastern Elementary, where their three children attend school. “Every chance I get I help at school,” he says.

Lifting Others Up

Jonathan Swegles doesn’t take that for granted. The first-year principal at Eastern says McNulty makes an impression from the get-go. “I hadn’t even met him yet, and he gave me a big bear hug and said, ‘So glad you’re here.’

“He has an infectious personality,” Swegles continues. “You hear him before you see him. He’s always trying to lift other people up. When he’s not here, his presence is missed.”

Josh Traeger is another friend who extols McNulty’s virtues. “He is constantly around town cheering people up, offering a helping hand, and delivering good vibes during difficult times,” he says. “He’s the first guy to offer help. Keelan is just an all-around great guy.”

Nathan Hartman is another friend, who says they first bonded through their children. “We have one son the same age as theirs. We hit it off right away,” he says of the two families.

Hartman says the connections with family, neighborhood and schools means that others are frequently swept up in McNulty’s wake. “He embodies community. He’s a ‘the more, the merrier’ type of person. We’re invited on their adventures, as are a lot of other people. He lives by carpe diem to the fullest.”

McNulty credits his upbringing for his enthusiastic, community-centered approach to life. “My dad was a huge role model. He passed away in October,” McNulty says. “He was very involved in my school. What would he want me to do and say? My passion now is the kids and the community and where I can fit in there.”

He also says the years he spent in the military molded him. “It’s based on the skills, the lessons and motivation from the service,” McNulty says.

He believes the various outdoor adventures he and his family and friends take part in help build resilience and keep them all healthy, while bridging personal and generational gaps. They provide additional means for making those connections he values so highly.

He insists that his lifestyle is nothing special and anyone can do it (though his friends may disagree that it’s so simple). “I try to be very present. You don’t need a special skill. Just show up.”