Hopping on a plane to jet off somewhere might be fun for some, but for those suffering from aerophobia -- fear of flying -- it can be a real source of stress. After all, it can be difficult to put our faith in a manmade machine that's thousands of feet above the earth.
A Delta Airlines flight attendant literally got down on the floor to lend a helping hand to a stressed passenger.
Recently this fear was highlighted in a Facebook post by Molly Simonson Lee. In the post, Lee describes a trip she took from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in North Carolina to JFK International Airport in New York on Delta airlines with a fearful passenger sitting in front of her.
According to Lee, the passenger had a very hard time on the flight and was petrified of every noise and unexpected movement that the plane made. As she explained to Upworthy, "She was very nervous and even before the plane took off, she was visibly shaken by each sound."
Thankfully, Delta had on board a flight attendant, Floyd Dean-Shannon, who was full of compassion for his passenger. "He took notice and began explaining what each [sound] was, with the warmest, calmest tone," shared Lee.
At one stage of the flight the anxious passenger was finding it particularly difficult, so Dean-Shannon literally sat on the floor in the aisle to take the passenger's hand to reassure her further. "His tone was so kind and soothing," pointed out Lee.
Dean-Shannon was also able to offer further kindness to others on the flight. One woman had a birthday, so the flight attendant "sang to her and made her a 'cake' with all of the goodies he could round up."
This level of kindness goes way beyond good customer service. It is something innate that no training can achieve. As Lee pointed out:"It was obvious he is just a good, kind, soul who shares that generously with everyone he encounters. Such kindness is rare and a true gift when encountered."
After sharing the story the airline received calls to give Dean-Shannon a pay-raise. While we have no idea if Delta airlines will respond to these suggestions, it's certain that the flight attendant's unusual levels of kindness can inspire us to look at our own daily actions; to see how we can lend a reassuring voice or hand to those who may need it, even if it means getting down on the floor.
