Money Was Stolen From Elderly Passenger’s Wallet…Then, Something Surprising Happened

ORG XMIT: WADZ201 In this photo made Thursday, June 11, 2009, an Alaska Airlines airliner is pushed away from a gate at SeaTac Airport in SeaTac, Wash. Alaska Air Group Inc., operator of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, said Thursday. July 23, its second-quarter profit plunged 53.9 percent to $29.1 million as sales slipped 9.3 percent.(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

On par with the season of giving,  an Alaska Airlines flight attendant shares the most heartwarming story while on duty. An elderly passenger, flying with his wife and disabled adult son, forgot his wallet in the lav. Someone turned it in…but there was $240 in cash missing from his wallet, which was gifted to them by their church. Then, something incredibly heartwarming happened that will give you enough faith in humanity to wrap up 2019.

One of my co workers posted this story on Facebook about her flight yesterday. I know this forum is about how to get the most of your mileage plan but this is such a wonderful story I had to share. One of the things I love about my job are the people I work with. I do work with some amazing people. I also think we have some of the nicest passengers. I know that sounds dumb but I think we do. Please enjoy and, in case you were wondering, know that there are so many nice people out there. The world is a good place:

Yesterday’s flight:
An elderly man left his wallet in the airplane lav. An honest person found it on the floor and turned it in. Unfortunately all his cash was gone. This elderly man and his wife were traveling with their adult severely disabled son, who would rock back and forth in his seat. The elderly man said there was $240 in the wallet. He looked sad and said his church gave that money to them. We felt so bad for him. He said it was his own fault for leaving his wallet in the bathroom. He was a dignified man. I apologized profusely. The whole crew felt bad. I told the captain and he was incensed!

On landing in LAX, I made an announcement on the PA asking the person who “mistakenly took money out of a wallet in the lavatory” to please turn it in. I said that it belonged to an elderly couple with a disabled son. I said that they could just leave the stolen money on the seat or if they gave it to a FA they would have no repercussions and would be anonymous. I ended my PA asking the person to “please do the right thing here in the city of angels.”
Well.
I was the A Flight attendant, I disarmed the doors and a man in first class who not had said a word to me the whole flight, opened his wallet and took out $200 and said give this to them. Then another lady in first class gave me a couple $20s and said please give this to them. Someone handed me a couple ones. My hand soon became full of cash as people were deplaning. It was totally unexpected. I had to hold back tears from people’s generosity. The pilot opened the door and saw this scene, and started videotaping it. People kept putting cash in my hand for the couple as they deplaned. I had not asked people to do this! Then the D FA came forward and she had a wad of cash in her hand from passengers handing it to her for the family. We put the cash on seat 1d and it filled up the seat. I asked the D flight attendant to please count the cash. She said she stopped counting at $1150! When the elderly couple came forward, one of the last ones off, the captain presented the money to them. They were humbled. They were in disbelief. The man said he was embarrassed. He thanked us! He sparkled joy. He said he got the money from the church for their travels, and viewed this as a gift from God. The flight attendant said now you need to be very careful with your wallet! I will never know if the thief returned the money. But what happened was such a reminder of all the beautiful kind hearted souls on this planet.

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