And this happened...
Nov 8, 2019, 7:20 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 5,956
And this happened...
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.
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.
^^
Nov 9, 2019, 12:47 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Usually in SAN or Central Europe.
Programs: AA:EXP/1MM. Accor/Radisson:Silver; HH:Gold; ICH:Plt Amb.
Posts: 22,307
It's nice that things ended up alright for that couple and their son. However, the cynic in me thinks that the "honest person" who found the wallet might be the one who took the cash. Did the elderly man say how much time had passed since he went to the lavatory and when the wallet was found?
Nov 9, 2019, 5:54 pm
#7
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 1,230
Thank you so much for sharing ! Do you mind sharing the facebook link ?
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.
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.
Nov 11, 2019, 10:45 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,724
Great story....thanks for sharing. Bonus points to AS Flyer for starting their own thread....that's the first AS Flyer thread I think I've ever seen....welcome to the Big League (as least in FT World...lol).
Nov 11, 2019, 11:14 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 5,956
Ha - thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the story. It was uplifting for me so I thought others would enjoy it as well.
Nov 11, 2019, 11:37 pm
#12
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,399
For the record, FT claims that OP has started 52 threads (over five thousand posts). Most (or at least almost all of the most recent 25 of them) were in the AS forum.
Nov 12, 2019, 1:56 am
#13
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: AS G100K, DL PM, IHG Gold, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 843
I am not promoting nationalistic sentiment here, but I think this kind of humanity and compassion demonstrated by ordinary people have made this country great! AS Flyer thank you for sharing this story!
Nov 12, 2019, 8:10 am
#15
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 597
Joanne Rogers (Mrs Rogers) once told me about a gentleman named Chris de Vinck who wrote an essay - and then a book - called "The Power of the Powerless."
It was about Chris' brother Oliver, who was profoundly disabled, but about how Oliver had the power to select people in and out of his life. Those who had no time for Oliver moved on, but those who found a place in their heart for him were kind, caring and spiritual people. And so Oliver's neighborhood became Chris' neighborhood, filled with kind, caring and spiritual people. In fact, Chris was so impressed with how one classmate helped to feed Oliver that he decided to share his life with her in marriage.
Joanne told me about Chris and Oliver when I introduced her to my brother Lewis, who had Down Syndrome. And I realized it what Chris wrote applied to our family as well.
And so it did here.
They took their disabled son home from the hospital and loved him and cared for him. Those who had a place in their hearts for him - at the church - gifted the family with money and love. And when the money was lost, others came forward.
Love is at the root of everything. All learning. All parenting. All relationships. Love, or the lack of it. And those who at first appear powerless to us have the power to tap the wellspring of love and make ours a better world
It was about Chris' brother Oliver, who was profoundly disabled, but about how Oliver had the power to select people in and out of his life. Those who had no time for Oliver moved on, but those who found a place in their heart for him were kind, caring and spiritual people. And so Oliver's neighborhood became Chris' neighborhood, filled with kind, caring and spiritual people. In fact, Chris was so impressed with how one classmate helped to feed Oliver that he decided to share his life with her in marriage.
Joanne told me about Chris and Oliver when I introduced her to my brother Lewis, who had Down Syndrome. And I realized it what Chris wrote applied to our family as well.
And so it did here.
They took their disabled son home from the hospital and loved him and cared for him. Those who had a place in their hearts for him - at the church - gifted the family with money and love. And when the money was lost, others came forward.
Love is at the root of everything. All learning. All parenting. All relationships. Love, or the lack of it. And those who at first appear powerless to us have the power to tap the wellspring of love and make ours a better world