‘I cannot express my gratitude enough': Random stranger helps woman catch her connecting flight and makes it possible for her to say goodbye to her ill grandfather, internet wholesomely reconnects them

• Though the woman hadn't conversed with the person sitting next to her the entire flight, that person could tell something was wrong, so she asked. The woman said she was afraid she was going to miss her connection and never get to say goodbye to her grandfather. So this woman, a total stranger, stood up and announced loudly that everyone needed to move to the side so this woman could get off of the plane asap. 

   

  The woman made the flight and was so grateful that, after being able to say goodbye to her grandfather and spend time with her family, her last act was to post a video thanking her in hopes that it would find her. And guess what? It did!! 

   

  Turns out the stranger's name was Katie and she is a traveling hospice nurse. She knew very well the importance of saying goodbye and also the state of mind a family member is in when they are grieving, so she was determined to get this woman to her connecting flight. They got connected via online and was happy to hear that this woman made it to her ill grandfather's side. 

   

  Both hope that the viralness of this video inspires others to be kind to strangers. 

• 
  via Unsplash+ (and Ina Carolino)

  _{^{The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.}}

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• "This video is for the woman that was on United Flight 280 yesterday in seat 31B. I was in seat 31A. And although you and I didn't speak the entire time, when I landed in Denver, Colorado, it was announced that some of us had a tight connection flight and to raise our hand, and I was the person that raised my hand next to you. And when you could tell something was wrong and nobody was getting out of the way so that I could get off the plane early, you asked me what was wrong, and I told you. I said, 'I normally would not be that person, but I just booked this flight a couple hours ago after I was informed that my grandfather was put on comfort care. And if I don't make this flight, I don't think I'll get to say goodbye.' You didn't owe me anything. But you stepped out on the aisle and you announced very loudly to everybody to please step aside so that I could get off the plane in a timely manner. We landed 25 minutes before my next flight was supposed to depart, and it was a 22 minute walk across the Denver airport. We flew into like gate 73 ish, and I was flying out of 12. I had to walk all the way across. 

  I just want you to know that I made that flight and I got to be there last night, and I got to tell my grandfather how much I loved him. And he got to tell me back. And he understood what I was saying. And I got to be there all day today with my family. And when he made his way to be with the Lord today, I was there. And it was because you made that happen. And I don't know what your name was, but I owe you so much. Thanks. And so if that was you on flight United 2 80 from San Antonio, Texas to Denver, Colorado, yesterday. Thank you so much. You didn't have to do that, but you made such a big impact to my life, and I'm so grateful."

  -haileyannsand

• WATCH:

  via haileyannsand

• "…I have been in contact with the woman that was sitting next to me and we spoke earlier today, so I'll give you that update. 

  But I do wanna just address a few things that are going on all in this post because, quite frankly, I am exhausted and I don't have the energy or the time to keep responding to comments. A little bit of what has transpired in the last 24/ 48 hours… I'm well aware that there are people taking my video and making that look like their own… If it didn't come off this account, it's not from me and I can't control it. 

  Second off, I see a lot of comments that are saying like at United Airlines “help them out, help them out, help them out.” And insinuating that United didn't do enough. First off, the crew that worked that flight was incredible. They announced multiple times that there were several of us that had tight connections and to please let us go first. They even went as far as having us all raise our hand ahead of time so that people would know. But unfortunately, if you work in customer service, you cannot force people to do what they don't want to do. So even though they announced it multiple times, people still stood up. And like I said in the first video, I was in row 31. 

   

  So somebody else commented and said, why didn't I advocate for myself? I'm just gonna take that comment with a grain of salt, because you've obviously never been in the state of mind that I was in, and I don't wish that for you. But if you have, [you know it] takes everything in you just to keep it together emotionally… What was most important to me was holding it together and so that's why I didn't say anything…

  [Now for] the update You were actually interested in. I have been in contact with the woman who was sitting next to me. I've seen all your comments about how she's an angel, and I agree 1,000%. And you're not ready for what I'm about to tell you. But her name is Katie, and she's not from Denver, she's not from Texas. She's actually from Montana. And she was traveling for work. And what does she do for work? Well, she is none other than a hospice nurse. So the statement that she is an angel is quite literally true... 

   

  Once I got in contact with Katie, she was very grateful that I had posted the video, and she was wondering if I made it and hoping that I did. And it became pretty evident that she prefers to live a private life. And so I'm gonna respect that, and I'm not gonna tag her, and I'm not gonna post anything else about her other than that she is an angel and is the hero in the story. 

   

  The thing we all have in common is that we hope that those of you watching this do get something out of this video and that you pay it forward. And you think about it the next time you're traveling and you see somebody scrambling. And if you don't have to, you know, be in a rush, then please let them go, because you truly don't know what somebody is going through. And that small act of kindness might be literally a once in a lifetime opportunity that you just granted them. And I would be remiss if I didn't at least speak to my grandfather for a Little bit…

  He was just the greatest man. And he was 88 years old and he took a fall and fractured his spine in 3 places. And so someone commented, 'if you knew he was on end of life care, then why didn't you get there sooner?' I didn't know. I literally got the phone call at 11AM and he passed away at 4:15PM on Friday. So it was that quick of a turnaround. He was married to my grandma for 62 wonderful years. That doesn't exist a lot nowadays. 

  The most beautiful thing was that our whole family got to be there to where we had four generations of family members around him when he took his last breath. And I think that's truly beautiful. And the older I get, the more I go through life, moments like this, you really learn what's important. And you know, what makes a person wealthy and rich. And you can have all of the possessions in the world, but at the end of the day, if you are sitting there alone, how wealthy are you? And my grandfather is the richest man that I knew because he had four generations of family gathered around him and a wife of 62 years. And that is incredible... 

   

  Thank you so much. And thank you to Katie more than anyone, because you gave me a gift that I will never be able to repay you for. And I cannot express my gratitude enough for that."

  -haileyannsand

• WATCH (Update):

  via haileyannsand
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  via Tjbenson
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  via jbntcjam11
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  via SamiiInfante
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  via user7300042793804
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  via cactuscatonline
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  via katieboserphotography

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