The Flight Attendant Who Helped a Little Girl Overcome Her Fear of Flying Deserves Applause
If you or your child have ever been afraid of flying (most of us, right?), you probably silently prayed for a safe, smooth flight and a couple of cold drinks to get your mind off of the fear. For 9-year-old Gabby, the fear of flying she expressed from takeoff wasn't going away during her slightly bumpy Southwest flight with her mom and two siblings, so Garrick the flight attendant swooped in to save the day.
"Upon take off he noticed she was struggling. Throughout the flight he tried making her laugh and brought her special drinks. As we were getting closer, weather was rough and there was a bit of turbulence," Gabby's mother, Erika Jeorgean Swart, shared in a post to Facebook. "He came up to the front and asked if she would like for him to sit next to her in the empty seat. . . . During extremely rough turbulence she began crying and grabbed his arm, he gently told her she could hang on as long as she needed to."
In addition to being terrified of flying, Gabby has Type 1 diabetes, and after stressing out about the turbulence, her blood sugar became dangerously low. Garrick brought her an orange juice and immediately sat back down next to her to keep her comfortable and let her hold onto his arm until the flight landed.
"Once on the ground while taxiing to the gate he came on the intercom and announced that his friend, Gabby, in the front row overcame her fear of flying, and asked for a round of applause. The whole plane clapped for her. It was a wonderful experience on Southwest. We are forever grateful to have met such a beautiful, selfless soul."
Can every flight we're on have a Garrick?