Passengers Stunned At Stranger's Response To Anxious Elderly Woman On Flight

When Megan Ashley took her seat on a Southwest Airlines flight from San Diego to Nashville on July 29th, 2019, she sat an aisle away from an unlikely duo: a 96-year-old woman and her so-called "flight angel."

Taking off

The elderly woman was flying to Kansas City in order to celebrate her birthday with her family. But as it was her first flight in fifteen years, she was nervous. Hoping to find some comfort, she asked the man beside her for his help.

“She asked for this man’s hand during takeoff and then hugged him again when experiencing turbulence,” Ashley later wrote in a Facebook post.

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.

Megan Ashley's Facebook post

Smooth ride

The kindness did not end there: the man continued to look out for the woman for the rest of the flight, helping her into her wheelchair, holding her bag, and waiting for her to find her daughter.

“I walked away sobbing happy tears being so thankful for people like this wonderful human. She was so grateful that she wanted him to have her in-flight pretzels,” Ashley wrote.

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.

Megan Ashley

Safe landing

Ashley was so moved by the gesture of kindness, she posted the story- along with a couple of photos- of the interaction. The post now has hundreds of thousands of likes and shares. The comments, nearly 300 of them, thank Ashley for sharing this kind moment.

“It's so nice to be able to see kindness and good deeds as they are happening,” posted one person. “Thank you for sharing and letting all of us feel the joy. Love to you!”

Another commented, “Such a heartwarming story. Thank God you witnessed this to share and warm the hearts of sooo many, especially mine! May all that goodness return to that fine man doubly and more and the people responsible for making this fine guy a true gentleman.”

Spread Love

The gesture of kindness between two strangers not only affected those who witnessed it in real time, but people from all around the world who found the post on Facebook. The post shows us both the importance of caring for each other and how sharing these moments can lighten up all those around us. Ashley ends her post with “#spreadlove,” reminding us of an important message: The world is often scary, but being there for each other makes it easier to face.

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