A young guy who comforted an elderly lady during a four-hour flight is being hailed a hero on the internet.
According to the passengers on board, the man kept consoling a 96-year-old woman throughout the plane ride from San Diego to Nashville.
The man was sitting on the seat next to the lady on the Southwest flight.
When a fellow passenger noticed him trying to calm the elderly lady’s nerves, she captured the moment on camera and later shared it on social media.
Posting an adorable photo of the woman holding the young guy’s hands, passenger Megan Schofield wrote on her Facebook: ‘Sitting in the row next to me was a 96-year-old woman who hasn’t flown in 15 years.
‘For her birthday she wanted to go to Kansas City to see her family but she was scared of flying. She asked for this man’s hand during takeoff and then hugged him again when experiencing turbulence.
‘This gentleman I should say, gladly took her hand, let her hold onto him, calmed her by talking to her and explaining everything that was happening, and simply was that stranger there for her.’
Megan added how the kindhearted fella helped the lady get out of her seat when she wanted to go to the bathroom.
At the end of their flight, the man also helped the old woman with her carry-on stuff, before assisting her to get off the plane.
‘This man was her flight angel,’ Megan wrote. ‘I walked away sobbing happy tears being so thankful for people like this wonderful human.
‘She [the elderly woman] was so grateful…
‘Hats off to you sir, for your kind heart and your compassion toward someone whom you’ve never met. This truly made my week.’
Megan’s post went viral soon after it emerged online, racking up more than 74,000 shares and over 130,000 views.
The elderly lady, named Virginia, hasn’t released any comment on her plane trip. However, the kind man, identified only as ‘Ben,’ contacted Megan via an e-mail.
Speaking to KSHB, Megan revealed that Ben was happy that his gesture became the means of bringing smiles to a number of people.
Scores of netizens appreciated Ben by commenting beneath Megan’s post.
One user wrote: ‘It’s so nice to see there are still good people in this world. So many people need to take a page from his book and do the same. Being kind is not difficult.’
Another commented: ‘Truly one of the best stories I’ve read in a very long time. Thank you for sharing sweetie.’