We have a lot of options when we travel to another area. We can drive, take the train or even ride on a bus. Perhaps one of the most popular methods of traveling, however, is flying. It is fast, easy and convenient. We step on the plane in one location and before we know it, we are hundreds or perhaps even thousands of miles away at our destination. It is a modern convenience that most of us have come to rely on and appreciate.
Although flying is a convenience and certainly beats driving to our destination, there are some problems that may be associated with it. One of those problems is the fact that we are cramped in seats next to people that we don’t know. In most cases, we simply put our heads down and ignore the situation until we land. For Savannah Phillips, however, the situation turned sour very quickly and it was an unforgettable experience that we can all appreciate. It is one that will have you angry at first but then cheering by the time it is over.
Savannah experienced this problem when she was on a flight. She wasn’t a newbie, she flew on a regular basis. On this particular flight, however, this 32-year-old woman experienced something that she had to share with others on Facebook. It wasn’t to gain attention, it was to let people know about the kindness of a complete stranger.
Savannah was on a flight to Chicago but it had already been switched several times because of storms. She usually selected the seat in advance so she could have a row by herself if possible.
Savannah admits that she isn’t the biggest person on the plane but she also isn’t the smallest. Her kind demeanor is what makes her choose a seat that is not next to anyone else. She doesn’t want anyone to be uncomfortable.
On this particular flight, her seat was assigned when she arrived at the gate. She was nervous but, as it turns out, the older gentleman that was sitting next to her was a comedian.
The situation seemed rather harmless, with the 60-year-old man sitting next to her wearing bright yellow glasses. He even jumped up so she could get into her seat, which seemed kind enough.
The flight attendant went through the safety speech and the ‘comedian’ sitting next to her pulled out his phone and proceeded to send a text to someone that absolutely devastated Savannah. She was able to see what he sent because his phone was just a few inches from her face.
“He proceeded to text someone that he was sitting next to ‘a smelly fatty.'”
As you can imagine, Savannah was quite hurt and she instantly turned away from the screen. The weight of what he had just written was crushing but it was especially bad for Savannah because she already dealt with negative feelings about herself.
“Before I knew it, I could feel hot, salty tears coming down my face. I sat and cried silently, hoping this guy didn’t try to make small talk, because I didn’t trust how I would react and I didn’t want to get kicked off the plane. I was so hurt. The pilot came overhead and said there would be a 30-minute delay before he could take off- great. Just more time I would have to sit next to this creep.”
Savannah pushed herself up against the wall of the plane, trying to get away from him as much as possible. Suddenly, the man behind them tapped the ‘comedian’ on the shoulder and told him in no uncertain terms that they would be switching seats, immediately.
When he asked why the switch needed to be made, he informed this man that what he was doing was unacceptable. “You are texting about her and I’m not putting up with that.”
Before Savannah knew it, the stranger moved forward and sat down next to her. It was only then that he noticed she was crying. He asked why and she told him that she had also seen the text.
“He encouraged me not to let that guy get to me and that everything was going to be fine. We talked about Ross and the kids, his two-year-old son, our jobs, amongst other things. He said he just happened to see that guy’s text messages and he started shaking he was so mad and knew he had to do something. He stopped the flight attendant and told her what he was about to do.”
Savannah was very happy and thankful for what he had done. The flight attendant was also quite pleased and she referred to him as ‘her hero’.
It was really Savanna, however, who had found a hero.
“God saw me today. I told him that he was a blessing sent to me and how thankful I was that he was there.”
Savannah eventually shared the story on Facebook. She wanted to find the man who had helped her, and social media also came to the rescue. As it turns out, his name is Chase and he works for Whiskey Row in Nashville. She wanted everyone to know how nice of a person he was and that there are still plenty of good people left in the world.
When she found him, she got a response from him. You can watch it below in this video and learn more about this rescue that will touch your heart: