Born to Fly
Lloyd Christopher Skeen
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Lloyd Christopher Skeen was born on February 1, 1971, in the borough of Dulwich, London, England, to Jamaica-born parents Sylvester and Jean Skeen. He was, from the very beginning, a child of the world.
At the tender age of 4, Lloyd had his first flight on a plane with his mother, travelling to visit his grandparents in Jamaica. That moment — the hum of the engines, the feeling of leaving the ground — stayed with him for the rest of his life. It was when his passion for flying started.
"At the tender age of 4, Lloyd had his first flight on a plane with his mother. This was when his passion for flying started."
On November 29, 1979, at the age of 8, Lloyd's family moved to Windsor, Ontario. They would move again later to Mississauga in 1980, and to Brampton in 1982 — the city that would shape so much of who he became.
Pursuing the Dream
Knowing what his passion was, Lloyd began pursuing a career as a pilot early in life. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Cadets — the same 758 Air Cadets Squadron that still bears his name in scholarship — and in Grade 11, he switched high schools to attend the Peel Regional Aviation Program at J.A. Turner Secondary School in Brampton.
Lloyd moved on to the Canadian Aviation Institute at Georgian College, graduating with the class of '95 with a diploma in Air Carrier Management. He then took a break from school, working at Air Transat and beginning flying lessons.
By the end of 1996, Lloyd earned his Private Pilot License at the Brampton Flying Club. He was now ready to pursue his ultimate educational dream.
Embry-Riddle & A Greater Dream
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida — one of the world's most prestigious aviation universities — became Lloyd's ultimate goal, and he achieved it. On campus at ERAU, Lloyd made countless friends. He was an active member of the Caribbean Student Association, the Canadian Student Association, and an academic fraternity. He was also a DJ and board member at WERU, the campus radio station.
"In one of his shows, he expressed his desire to create scholarships for others — to reduce some of the financial challenges brought on by post-secondary education."
It was at ERAU where Lloyd's dream expanded beyond himself. He saw first-hand the crushing financial burden that aviation education placed on students like him. And so, even while working toward his own license, he began speaking openly about wanting to create scholarships to help others. That wish — spoken into a campus radio microphone — became the seed of everything the Foundation does today.
By the time he left ERAU, Lloyd was a proud holder of a Commercial Pilot License and an Instrument Rating.
Home, and What Came Next
Returning to Canada, Lloyd began working at Air Transat again, then moved on to the Greater Toronto Airport Authority, where he became a dispatcher in the maintenance department. His American pilot license was in hand — but converting it to a Canadian license was expensive, and the debt from ERAU had to be addressed first.
He kept his eyes forward. He kept his friends close. Lloyd was known for his rare gift of genuinely loving those he met, instantly becoming their friend. His friends came from all walks of life — young and old. He believed in himself even when things went wrong, and he was honest, trustworthy, diligent, reliable, and most of all, loyal.
Lloyd is remembered fondly for his love of music — especially jazz — his passion for science fiction, and a smile and infectious laugh that could fill a whole room with joy.
"Lloyd possessed the rare gift of truly loving those that he met, instantly becoming their friend. He believed in himself even when things went wrong."
Then, in February 2003, just days after his 32nd birthday, Lloyd died from a heart condition called arrhythmia. He never got the chance to fly again. His scholarship dream — spoken so clearly, so publicly — remained unfulfilled.
His friends and family refused to let it stay that way.
The Dream Never Dies
The Dream Never Dies Foundation was created in Lloyd's memory by those who loved him — to ensure that what he wanted for others would become real. Since 2003, the Foundation has awarded over 230 scholarships across 19 named funds, supported youth aviation through the annual summer camp, and brought the community together each year at the Gala Dinner.
Every scholarship, every camp seat, every ceremony is a fulfilment of what Lloyd said into that microphone at WERU. Every recipient who earns their wings carries a piece of his dream forward.
The dream never dies.