Acts of Kindness
Woman sees stranger grab frightened 96-year-old’s hand and become her ‘flight angel’
It had been 15 years since the elderly lady had been on a plane, and she was terrified. Fortunately, the man sitting next to her was a real-life angel.
Patricia Lynn
01.21.22

For a lot of people, there’s nothing too special about catching a plane. It’s a few hours of sitting in a small seat, all while trying to entertain yourself with a book or gadget.

Even though flying might seem boring to many – there’s always the chance of witnessing something you’ll never forget.

Unsplash - Artturi Jalli
Source:
Unsplash - Artturi Jalli

This is what happened one day to a young woman named Megan Ashley, who was traveling on a Southwest plane from San Diego to Nashville.

What she saw in the next row she just couldn’t ignore.

Some people don’t have any hesitation when it comes to hopping on an airplane. But then for others, it can be a lot more difficult because of all the anxiety it causes.

Sitting near Megan was a 96-year-old woman who was afraid to fly.

The senior wanted to visit family in Kansas City for her birthday, however, it had been 15 years since she was last on an airplane.

Unsplash - Gerrie van der Walt
Source:
Unsplash - Gerrie van der Walt

Fortunately, in the seat next to the woman was an earth angel. Or as Megan calls him, a “flight angel.”

Before even leaving, the elderly passenger asked the stranger if he would hold her hand during take-off. He happily did.

That was just the beginning, though.

When the plane experienced turbulence and she was frightened, the man allowed her to hug him for comfort. It was a scene that Megan captured with her phone’s camera.

In a Facebook post, she explained:

“This gentleman I should say, gladly took her hand, let her hold onto him, calmed her by talking to her and explaining everything that was happening, and simply was that stranger there for her. He knew just what to do the entire flight to help.”

The man didn’t stop there.

He assisted the woman out of her seat to use the restroom, keeping an eye on her as she headed down the aisle. Megan’s heart was full watching the act of kindness unfold throughout the flight.

After landing, the stranger didn’t just go on his way.

Instead, he made sure that his elderly seat neighbor was taken care of on the ground as well. Megan shared:

“He held her bag, helped her get off the plane and into the wheelchair, and when she got confused wondering where her daughter went (she called her her sister), he stayed with her until she caught up with her daughter who got separated from her.”

Unsplash - Erik Mclean
Source:
Unsplash - Erik Mclean

The experience was so moving to Megan that it left tears in her eyes.

After all, not every day do you get to witness an act so selfless that it’s restoring people’s faith in humanity.

The woman too was very grateful for the stranger’s kindness. As a reward, she adorably gave her “flight angel” the pretzels she had gotten on the plane.

Unsplash - Julia Kadel
Source:
Unsplash - Julia Kadel

Megan decided to post the story online, which has gone viral with more than 83K shares.

She even reached out to the man with some sweet words of her own.

“Hats off to you sir, for your kind heart and your compassion toward someone whom you’ve never met. I have never been so touched on a flight before. This truly made my week.”

The man’s compassion for the scared woman has touched other people’s hearts as well. It’s a feel-good story that proves there are some genuinely caring individuals walking this planet.

Be sure to check out the full Facebook post below!

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