Home
Ever Loving Sweet Home
Home
is so nice and glad to be here.
I
have to step back just for a moment to share this story.
We
have been traveling back and forth to Baltimore for over a year now. We travel with the same airlines because they
fly out of Huntsville and they are the least expensive. The saying you get what you pay for is so true even in airfare.
The
crews of the past flights were always impatient and let us know they were ready
to go when the aircraft landed. We are always the last ones to depart the
plane because it is easier to get Dake off the plane when all the others are
gone. (Plus we take more time to him get off, so no one has to wait.) The crew,
(pilots, stewards and stewardess), has to remain with the plane until everyone
is off the plane including us.
In
our experience, most of the time it takes a while for the airport crew on the
ground to bring an aisle chair for Dake to exit the plan.
Then,
usually we have another wait for the ground crew to get his wheelchair to the
door of the airplane so we can transfer him from the aisle chair to his
wheelchair. The crew in the past has
added to our frustration because they are ready to get to their destination and
we are “holding” them up.
One
time a captain was so ugly about having to wait and made a comment loud enough
for us to hear. David let him know he
did not appreciate his comment. A few words were exchanged and the captain
threatened to have David put in jail.
(This was not a pleasant time.)
But
on our last trip home we are not sure if we were all hallucinating from
exhaustion or maybe just delirious from the calamity of events from Baltimore.
As
we landed we stayed in our seat and waited as we normally do but the next few
minutes were not the usual.
As
we sat comfortably chatting as the last passenger exited the plane. The smiling
friendly steward came down the aisle and pulled our luggage from above in
storage. He stated that we would need to just take care of ourselves and they
would get our luggage and carry it off the plane to where we would meet the
wheelchair. I was speechless at first
and replied,” Oh it is ok we can get it.”
He insisted to go through with his plan. “Whoa” that was nice and never
ever happened before.
Then
the ground crew brought the aisle chair and rolled it carefully down to our
assigned seats. We are about midway back. It will take two and sometimes three
people to get Dake situated and secured in this tiny thin chair. (Dake has no
core strength or the strength to pull his arms in while rolling down the close
tight aisle so someone has to hold him so his arms do not flop and get caught
on the seats as we exited.)
It
was late at night and only one ground crew came to help with Dake. (Usually two
crew members come). David does all the lifting and gets him to the aisle seat
and the ground crew guy was behind the chair getting the straps straighten so
we could get him secured. The Captain of the plane come to us and gets down on
the floor on his knees and gingerly straps Dake in his chair and then he backs
out and holds Dake’s arms as they exit the plane. I almost cried at everyone’s kindness. This
just never ever has happened to us before. I am in shock.
Then
the whole crew waits with us as we wait for his chair to be retrieved from
beneath. I am not sure what I looked
like but when there was some trouble with the chair one of the stewardesses
came over and hugged me. Nothing was
said just a kind hug. Finally the chair arrived and we all left together and as
we separated I profusely thanked them but I could not adequately get my words
out. They waved and acted like it was no big deal. Wow.
The
kindness of those strangers touched us and we will never forget them.
THANK
YOU TO THE AWESOME FLIGHT CREW OF FLIGHT 1873, ON AIRTRAN, ON JULY 24, 2012, FROM
BWI BALTIMORE, MARYLAND TO HSV HUNTSVILLE.
A
little kindness goes a long way but an abundance of kindness goes to the HEART!