An Alaska Airlines flight attendant moved people to tears after giving an elderly man a heartfelt note on his last trip before he passed.
The touching sendoff was detailed in a Reddit post that the deceased’s granddaughter penned to the carrier.
“Just wanted to say thank you — and to let you know how much small gestures really mean,” she wrote.
According to the post, the 87-year-old traveler suffered from “late-stage heart failure” and wanted to visit Alaska before he passed.
“[He] had always dreamed of seeing Alaska,” his bereaved grandchild wrote. “It was #1 on his bucket list.”
As her grandfather realized he didn’t have much time left, the stalwart senior reportedly told his granddaughter that he wanted “to see the mountains one last time.”
So, determined to honor his final wish, the dying man and his progeny booked an Alaska Airlines trip from Seattle, Washington, to Juneau.
The Redditor wrote that the flight was “quiet” and that her grandpa spent “most of it staring out the window, holding my hand.”
Their trip took a unique turn when a perceptive flight attendant “noticed how emotional he was.” She “gently asked if everything was okay,” prompting his granddaughter to fill her in on his last hurrah.
Upon hearing this, the conscientious crewmember smiled, nodded and disappeared down the aisle, before returning with a pair of Alaska Airlines wings and a handwritten note.
It read, “We’re honored to fly with you today. Thank you for letting us be part of your journey.”
The elderly traveler was so moved by the gesture that he held onto the note for the whole trip.
After the adventurer “passed away peacefully” three weeks later, the family placed the note in his coat pocket during the funeral.
“He didn’t get to see everything, but he made it to Alaska,” gushed the granddaughter. “And Alaska Airlines helped get him there with grace and kindness.”
Alaska Airlines reps told Newsweek that employees are working to confirm the moving saga and also identify the flight attendant who wrote the letter — whom they hope to honor for her “service and compassion.”
“We are deeply moved to hear how this moment resonated with the family,” they said. “At Alaska, we are incredibly proud of our flight attendants and all employees who lead with heart and empathy.”
The air carrier added, “While we can’t speak to this individual moment without further verification, we can say that recognizing acts of kindness is core to our internal culture.”
The post also elicited waterworks across Reddit.
“What a positive memory for you, so glad the attendant made the small gesture that meant so much to your grandpa,” wrote one. “Good on you for taking him to see Alaska [to] make that bucket list trip come true!
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