Bailey named as latest Purple Eagle during ceremony at FedEx St. Jude Championship

“We dedicated our first plane on June 6, 2012, for McKaylee, who just graduated from high school and is now 18 years old,” said West. “After the ceremony, we all went into the FedEx cabana for lunch. Our late founder and chairman Fred Smith was there as well. As a lifelong aviator, a plane being at the course caught his eye and when I told him why McKaylee’s name and the St. Jude logo were on the plane, he told me we had started a fine FedEx tradition. I’m honored to continue that tradition and recognize the work of St. Jude in the fight against childhood illnesses.”

Bailey's grandmother Grenda has worked with FedEx corporate security for 19 years and previously nominated her granddaughter for this recognition. She shared news of Bailey's selection during a spring Zoom call.

“Today’s FedEx Purple Eagle ceremony symbolizes the special bond between St. Jude families and our friends at FedEx,” said Ike Anand, President and CEO of ALSAC, which handles fundraising for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “It’s a relationship that has grown for decades through partnership and unwavering generosity from FedEx, for which we are deeply grateful,” Anand added.“Thanks to this support, St. Jude can continue advancing research and treatment into catastrophic childhood diseases so we can be a place of hope and healing for children like Bailey and others from around the world.”

Bailey will see her name alongside the St. Jude logo on tail number N725FX while it remains in service with FedEx.

The Purple Eagle event is part of activities opening this year’s FedEx St. Jude Championship—the first event in the FedEx Cup Playoffs. On Sunday, Bailey will also serve as an honorary caddie.

Past honorees include children treated at St. Jude for various illnesses such as leukemia, neurofibromatosis, rhabdomyosarcoma, melanoma, Wilms tumor, craniopharyngioma and more.

FedEx Corp., headquartered in Memphis with over $88 billion annual revenue and more than 500,000 employees worldwide according to company information, provides global transportation solutions while aiming to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2040.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital focuses on treating pediatric cancer and other serious diseases; since opening its doors it has helped raise overall U.S childhood cancer survival rates from about 20% to over 80%. Families never receive bills from St. Jude due to donations covering all expenses related to care.