Louisiana Pilot Hopeful Defeats Sickle Cell Disease

July 2, 2026: On Monday, June 22, 2026, a 23-year-old Daniel Cressy rang the bell at Manning Family Children’s in New Orleans, proclaiming himself sickle cell-free.

The Metairie, LA, native has shared his dreams of becoming a commercial airline pilot. However, because of a disease he’s lived with since an infant, the FAA wouldn’t even consider him.

Sickle Cell Disease is a debilitating disease. It affects the hemoglobin of the red blood cells. Normal cells are disc shaped, allowing for easy passage through the blood vessels. For those diagnosed with this disease, their red blood cells take on a crescent shape (hence “sickle cell”). As a result, the cells are incapable of the flexibility necessary to move through the vessels, causing blockages of blood flow to the rest of the body.

These blockages lead to what’s known as “pain crises,” essentially onset bouts of intense pain. Those with Sickle Cell are also at risk for stroke, lung and eye problems, infections, and kidney disease.

Cressy was given every chance to survive. Through bouts of severe pain and hospitalizations, his family was right there, standing by his side, giving him the best life he could possibly have.

When he met with a roadblock to his dreams of flying, he decided to take more drastic measures to fight his lifelong illness.

“If I cure my Sickle Cell…”

Cressy determined to not allow a seeming rejection stop him from his goals. In 2023, after the FAA turned him away, he asked them if there were any way they’d reconsider. His determination (no doubt from his years of dealing with emergency room visits and increasing pain) led him to further advancements in gene therapy.

“If I could cure my Sickle Cell Disease either through a bone marrow transplant or through gene therapy, then I could become a pilot,” Cressy said. “Gene editing had just been approved for clinical trials, so I was following the studies closely. When I heard Manning Family Children’s had been granted approval to engage in the process, I began to discuss options with my doctors here.”

Never Give Up. Never Surrender.

Two years. Cressy’s fight — from the FAA’s denial to ringing that final bell — took two years of tests, trials, blood draws, and extensive gene research. On that day in June, Cressy became the first patient in Louisiana and the Gulf South to receive groundbreaking gene editing using Casgevy’s CRISPR/Cas9 technology.

In the simplest terms, this “genome editing tool” combines the Cas9 protein with single guide RNA. Introducing these interplaying elements, essentially (again, simplest terms), creates new strands of DNA. In the case of those with Sickle Cell, it increases fetal hemoglobin production, preventing the red blood cells from sickling.

“Curative gene therapy is restoring futures,” said Lucio A. Fragoso, President and CEO of Manning Family Children’s. “Daniel has paved the way for what is possible together with his care team at Manning Family Children’s. This is a proud and transformational moment for all of us.”

Cressy’s cells were sent to Scotland late 2025. After being genetically modified with the CRISPR technology, the blood was used for Cressy’s chemotherapy treatment to effectively get rid of the sickled cells. Three months after his infusion (March 18), his hemoglobin levels “are the highest they have been in his entire life.” Now he is well on his way to leaping past the determining hurdle that kept him grounded. He’s actively working toward earning his first class medical, clearing him to fly.

“I feel like God chose me to be the first one in the state because my story, once I do finally become a commercial pilot, is going to be inspirational for a lot of people,” Cressy said.

What’s the good news?

Daniel Cressy proved that failure only comes when you give up. His determination and bravery, coupled with the love of his family and friends propelled him to not only reverse a rejection. He redefined the state of play.

As the first person in Louisiana to functionally defeat Sickle Cell Disease, Cressy is a testimony to the power of belief and tenacity. He adds another small step in the fight to eradicate this painful disease for good.

“Overcoming what seemed impossible became my greatest blessing,” he said. While many spend their lives searching for purpose, mine found me. Now, instead of looking for meaning, I can spend my life fulfilling it.”

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