Back in October 2013, I boarded a Delta Air Lines flight that I wasn’t originally supposed to be on. I hadn’t been feeling well, so I postponed my flight by a day. Little did I know that this simple change of plans would put me on what would become the most emotional flight of my life. It’s now 13 years later and I still think about that experience often, especially around Veterans Day. Here’s what made this flight so unforgettable.
RELATED: Travel Tip: Give Your Upgrade to a Soldier
Delta Flight 2255 from Atlanta to Los Angeles seemed like an ordinary flight, with the exception of Candy, who was one of the most loving flight attendants I’ve ever encountered. Besides using her Southern charm to quickly defuse just about any situation, she began her welcome announcement by thanking the handful of uniformed service members on board for serving our country. Her heartfelt message was followed by applause from the passengers and served as a reminder that so many of the freedoms we enjoy are made possible by the sacrifices of the brave men and women who serve.
RELATED: 48 Ways to Honor a Veteran For Their Service On Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day
But this transcontinental flight turned out to be anything but ordinary. About 45 minutes before landing, the captain came over the PA system and explained that we were transporting a fallen soldier home. There was a military escort on board and he asked everyone to remain seated for a few minutes after arriving at the gate so the military personnel could exit first. He also told us not to be alarmed if we saw fire trucks waiting for our arrival because Los Angeles would be honoring the fallen soldier with a water cannon salute. The cabin went quiet as everyone absorbed what he had just told us.
A few minutes after touchdown, we did indeed receive a water cannon salute, something I’d previously only experienced on happy occasions like inaugural flights. But this time was different. As the water streamed down the aircraft windows, it looked like tears. Passengers inside the airport must have wondered what was happening when they saw our plane pull into gate 69A with a full police and fire escort, both in front and behind the aircraft.
I was sitting on the left side of the plane and later realized that the fallen soldier’s family was waiting off to the right, along with members of the United States Army Honor Guard. These service members perform ceremonial duties, including providing military funeral honors for fallen comrades. Seeing the military personnel waiting alongside the family made the significance of our arrival even more apparent.
When the aircraft door opened, another military officer addressed the escort, who was standing at attention. The officer then stepped onto the plane and spoke to all of us passengers. He said, “I just addressed the escort. It is a sworn oath to bring home, to the family, the fallen.” He paused for a moment before adding, “Today you all did that, you are all escorts, escorts of the heart.” He thanked us for our time and walked off the plane.
As you can imagine, everyone was silent and no one got up. Not even that person from the back row who always seems determined to be the first one off the plane. I’m sure most of us had meteor-sized lumps in our throats and tears in our eyes, just as I did. I’ve flown millions of miles over the years and experienced countless memorable moments in the air, but I had never experienced anything quite like this.
It only got more emotional when I deplaned. Instead of rushing to baggage claim or hurrying to catch connecting flights, many passengers stopped at the terminal windows to witness something truly moving. Outside, the Honor Guard and the fallen soldier’s family were waiting as LAX baggage handlers and military personnel carefully removed the flag-draped casket from the cargo hold. It was an incredibly humbling scene and one that I’ll never forget.
I watched as a woman, who I believe may have been the soldier’s mother or wife, slowly approached the casket. A few other family members stood nearby, wrapped in blankets, while members of the Honor Guard stood at attention. I couldn’t begin to imagine what that family was going through or how difficult it must have been to wait for their loved one to come home under such heartbreaking circumstances.
As soon as I saw the woman reach out and place her hand on the casket, I walked away.
That was more than I could bear to watch. Even today, 13 years later, I get emotional thinking about that moment and the extraordinary sacrifice that family made.
A flight I will never forget
What began as an ordinary flight became the most extraordinary flight of my life. I’ve traveled all over the world and taken thousands of flights, but this experience stands apart from all the others. It was a powerful reminder that behind every military uniform is a person with family and friends who love them, and that the sacrifices made by our service members affect far more people than we sometimes realize.
I’m grateful to the Delta crew, the military escort, the Honor Guard and everyone at LAX who helped ensure that this fallen soldier was brought home with the dignity and respect they deserved. I’m especially grateful to the men and women who serve our country and to the families who support them, often making sacrifices of their own.
Veterans Day is a time to recognize and thank all those who have served in the United States Armed Forces, while Memorial Day specifically honors those who died in military service. Although this experience involved a fallen soldier, it reminds me every Veterans Day of the courage, commitment and sacrifice of our military members and their families.
To all our veterans and active-duty service members, thank you for your service. And to the families who have lost loved ones while serving our country, please know that their sacrifices are not forgotten.
Thirteen years later, I can still hear that military officer’s words: “You are all escorts, escorts of the heart.” I’ll carry those words, and the memory of that flight, with me for the rest of my life.
Johnny’s note
When I first shared this story and video in 2013, I had no idea how many people it would touch. Over the years, I’ve received thousands of comments and emails from readers, including veterans, military families and people who have experienced similar homecomings. One of the most impactful was a comment left on Yahoo by a reader named Indiana Joan. Her words have stayed with me, just as this flight has.
RELATED READING
- How We Bury the War Dead
- Giving Your Upgrade to a Soldier
- How American Airlines Treats Our Military
- A Very Different Homecoming
Want more travel news, tips and deals? Sign up for Johnny Jet’s free newsletter and check out these popular posts: The Travel Gadget Flight Attendants Never Leave Home Without and 12 Ways to Save Money on Baggage Fees. Follow Johnny Jet on MSN, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube for more travel stories.
By the way,
Ted…Freedom to speak your part is guaranteed.
You are also free to leave this country you think so little of
Read your story, tried to share it with my wife.
Could not get through it without getting emotional.
Good job, thanks for sharing it
Thank you for the respectful article about bringing our Fallen back to their families. Being a military father, it is important to me that all parties on the aircraft and ground, honor the Fallen and their family. Great coverage for such a solemn event, Anonymous
I have two son’s now in the Marines. One is a 5 tour decorated veteran as a Explosive Ordinance Specialist. The other son is just now deploying over seas as a rifleman. I am very proud to have two of my eight children represent this family in making this world a better place. Without the bravery of our young warriors this world would be worse off without a doubt. I pray every night that ALL MIGHTY GOD protects our brave warriors around the world. As their fathers before them America’s young take the battle to our enemy so that we may live in peace here in this great country.
Johnny I was a few seats behind you. Your comments were perfect. I’ll never forget it. My eyes teared up when I talked about it to my friends. My posted it on your piece on Facebook and one of her friends said it must have been an honor to be on that plane and it was
Wow! Small world. Thanks for sharing.
Johnny,
Thanks for the moving article. Do you happen to know the name of the fallen hero and the date of the flight? Thank you
Thank you for finding the importance of this event and sharing it with all of us. As a proud American I was very choked up and was crying as I read the story. Let this be a reminder to all that there is a cost to our freedom that we enjoy as Americans and the price of that freedom we all take for granted. I cried for the solder who gave all to us Americans and the sacrifice of the family of the fallen solder. Least we forget this ultimate sacrifice as we lead our day to day life free from the harm of the world around us and how we have lessened 9/11 and what happened on that September morning. This moment is a reminder of that day. God speed to our fallen and God bless the families of the fallen and may we all have them in our prayers.
Thank you so much for sharing your moving experience. I am Gold Star Mother, my only child was KIA in Iraq in May 2004. When he was returned to SFO, it was heart-wrenching to see his flag covered casket unveiled after the plane pulled up.
As much as I was aware, I did see all members of ground crews stop and salute my son and I believe the passengers were not allowed off the plane until my son was removed. Other than that, that day was possibly worse than getting the knock on the door.
Every American should see the return ceremony as our KIA’s are .honored when they come home.
The Holley Act, I believe is enacted when a soldier’s home is located more than a few hours from the nearest major airport. There were some ugly and unfortunate airport experiences early on in the wars. The Army first told me that we would pick up my son in the commercial baggage area. Imagine my expletive deleted response to that suggestion.
On a lighter note, as our family waited on the tarmac, the TSA was horrified that members of the Honor Guard were in possession of box cutters (to remove the casket from the plane) I assured them that this grieving mother had nothing on my mind other than to bring my boy home.
Again, thank you for sharing your experience and for all of the people who commented on how important this ceremony is.
Indeed, this is a debt that cannot be repaid.
Thank you for raising such a wonderful son. Thank you for the ultimate sacrifice. Thank you for sharing your grief. May God Shine Down Upon You and Your Family. I am forever in your debt.
God Bless our Fallen Heroes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf_1-ujnykE
As an aside, the nation’s first memorial dedicated exclusively to honoring all the fallen Americans from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq is located in Irvine, CA. It started in 2003 as a grassroots temporary memorial and became a permanent memorial in November 2010. Currently there are 6,714 names engraved in the granite panels of the Memorial, covering all those who died between October 2001 and June 2013. Families who have lost a loved one, and friends of the fallen may request free name rubbings by submitting a request form on the Gold Star page of http://www.NorthwoodMemorial.com. Direction to the Memorial are on the home page of the site.
What happened to the Holley Provision voted into federal law in 2007 and named after fallen hero Matthew Holley?
It required the fallen service member to be returned via a charter flight to the nearest airport to the home town of the fallen hero, and met by a military escort. This was to avoid the fallen from being treated and handled like a box of auto parts with forklifts and baggage handlers on commercial flights, stored in freight warehouses overnight, etc. (Prior to this being enacted there were horror stories about less than appropriate treatment of the caskets sent via airlines.)
When did that honorable way of returning the heroes home end??
Thank you for sharing this moment.
Thank you for sharing the recognition of the soldier and the soldier’s family. May we honor the sacrifice by working for peace so no more are lost.