“The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention” - Oscar Wilde
Maria Isabel Rodriguez (Van Heurck), grandmother, mother, sister, daughter, celebrated pilot, friend, Virgin Islander, and so much more passed on the 15th of February, 2021. Maria was doing what she loved most, piloting a helicopter and spreading happiness.
In partnership with the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI), the Maria Rodriguez Foundation Fund was founded in 2021 by family and friends to recognize a member of the U.S. or British Virgin Islands community who embodies Maria’s spirit of selfless service. The Fund seeks to honor Maria by continuing her legacy of giving back to the community, in both big and little ways.
Maria clearly inherited the entrepreneurial spirit of her parents and made the decision to start her own business, Caribbean Buzz, in 2011. The company is known for its bright yellow aircraft and smiley faces, smiley faces almost as bright and beautiful as the one Maria always wore.
Through Caribbean Buzz Helicopters, Maria spread her brand of happiness throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, and other neighboring islands. She became the go-to-girl for the rich and famous, but at the same time never forgot her roots: offering Easter egg drops, helping Santa Claus with his deliveries, emergency evacuations, search and rescues, and services for the disadvantaged.
Maria was an instrumental lifeline between the islands after Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Without hesitation, she provided non-stop evacuation services and supply drops to those who needed it the most. This selfless dedication to her community earned her the Helicopter Association International 2018 pilot of the year award.
Maria excelled in both her professional and personal worlds — approaching all things with fierce love and passion, whether that was with her family, her community, or her flying. Her instinct was to help, to give, to love, and to show up. And she did it all with grace, ease, and the trademark Caribbean Buzz smile on her face.
Each year Virgin Islanders have the opportunity to nominate an individual that shows up for people the way Maria did – with a smile on their face and with nothing expected in return. Nominees are evaluated based on the pillars of a giving spirit, selfless service, love for community, and choosing to find beauty in life. The nominee selected will be the recipient of the Maria Rodriguez Van Heurck Award and will receive $5,000 to be used in the USVI or BVI in support of eligible charitable activities.
Nominations must be submitted by December 31, 2024 using the online form at https://cfvi.co/RodriguezAwardForm.
Individuals with additional questions are encouraged to contact Beth Nuttall, Director of Grants and Programs, at bethn@cfvi.net.
The following poem, entitled “Inscription at Drake’s Seat,” is dedicated in memory of Maria Rodriguez, Neisha Zahn, and Daniel and Tyler Yannone. (Published in The Virgin Islands Daily News on May 29, 2021)
Light burst through clouds
drenching the
flamboyant tree
in a wash of scarlet red,
the flowers are on fire today.
Waves breaking
off Hans Lollik,
locked in a covenant
of salt and rock.
A hawk soars
on thermal
currents over
an endless sky
of blue glory.
A sad donkey hobbled
with knotted rope,
the witnessing presence
of the mountain
stands waiting.
And to the west
twilight gathers
In the hills
of Botany Bay,
a bird in flight
has fallen to earth.
An island mourns
its own.
— Filippo Cassinelli, St. Thomas
