When you’re stressed out while traveling, the last thing you want to see is an employee who is lying down on the job. But sitting down on the job? That actually became a blessing to an entire flight of passengers – especially a woman with a serious case of aerophobia, an extreme fear of flying… something 25 million Americans struggle to overcome.
She was recently on a Delta flight from Charlotte to New York, and expressed to the person seated behind her, Molly Simonson Lee, that she was nervous about the trip. Even before takeoff, she became visibly shaken by each sound the plane made (and commercial planes make a lot of strange noises). What happened next inspired Molly to post the experience on Facebook.
The crew of any commercial airline is extremely busy before takeoff, but Delta flight attendant Floyd Dean-Shannon could see the stress on that woman’s face, and so he took the time to give her his undivided attention. “He took notice and began explaining what each sound was, with the warmest, calmest tone,” Molly said.
But the really impressive display of kindness happened about halfway through the flight. The aerophobic woman was now fighting back tears, paralyzed with fear. Floyd took notice, sat down right next to her in the aisle, and gently grabbed her hand. He sat there, comforting her… for the rest of the flight.
Floyd didn’t stop there. Another woman nearby was celebrating a birthday. Sure, he could have tossed her an extra bag of pretzels, but he decided to sing to her and make an impromptu cake with whatever goodies he could find in the back.
Those who saw Molly’s Facebook post were truly inspired. “(Delta), I hope you see this!” one person commented. “These are the types of people that deserve raises.” Another person wrote, “I love this. This is what society is lacking. Empathy and kindness towards people in times of need.” A fellow passenger said, “I was on a flight with him today. He exudes joy and is intentional about making a connection with each person!”
“It was obvious he is just a good, kind soul who shares that generously with everyone he encounters,” Molly wrote. “Such kindness is rare and a true gift when encountered.”
We often give up or add something to our daily lives during the season of Lent. What better way to honor Jesus Christ than to add simple acts of kindness to our routines? “Loving our neighbor” inspires others to do the same, to share what they witnessed. The message of Christ spreads quickly through acts of love… much faster than a Facebook post about getting an extra bag of airline pretzels.
Ed Doney, Videographer/Writer
