First Hand Encounter
This was one of the saddest men she had ever seen. She was standing on the sidelines, watching him. He looked to be in pain. He had just resigned from his job. He threw something in the waste bin nearby with an almost oblivious look on his face.
What she just saw was a touching human moment. She couldn't help but start crying. She felt for the man. But he didn't even know who she was.
Airport Restrictions
Ivelise Hernandez was planning her flight journey like any other edited traveler. She was en route from her hometown of Tampa Florida to St. Petersburg-Clearwater Airport. Her boyfriend was traveling with her.
Ivelise was going to stay in Pittsburgh for a few days. Her boyfriend offered to keep he company while she waited to board her flight. Some passengers were making some noise up ahead but they waited patiently in line. The unsuspecting couple didn't know what was going to happen to them n just a few minutes.
Whats Happening
Ivelise was a nervous flyer so her boyfriend Rico Bankston stayed with her through the checking-in process. He watched the TSA (Transportation Security Authority) check bags and scan people.
The line was running smoothly until it was stopped suddenly by a middle-aged man. He was trying to get a wrapped parcel through the metal detector. He was already delaying other passengers and Iverlise was getting annoyed.
What Are You Carrying
The burly security Officers firmly pulled the man out of the line. Ivelise and Rico looked at each other. Did the man have something illegal on him?
The couple watched on, trying not to make their staring too obvious. They tried to eavesdrop and caught a few lines of the conversation. What did this man have in his possession?
Heightened Security
The horrific events of September 11th sent the Airport Industry on High Alert. Ever since then Airport personnel were trained to be extra vigilant and on the lookout for any suspicious activity.
Most people completely understood this. The airport gave very precise rules, regulations, and restrictions about air travel. The onus lay on the individual to be able to adhere to them for everyone's safety and security. Why did this passenger not obey the rules?
Begging Your Pardon
The Argument between the male passenger and the security guard ensued. The man did not seem dangerous at all and begged and pleaded with them. What did he want?
Other passengers noticed the loud argument and started to look. The security guards did not want to cause a further scene and pulled the man further away from the line. What was going on here?
Obey The Rules
The tired-looking man begged that the package be held in safekeeping. The guards didn't listen. They didn't care. They met hundreds of men like him every day. He was just another number.
Ivelise and Rico watched on, appalled. Something had to be done. The guards blatantly repeated the instruction to him: "Throw it away! Its Not allowed!" The man looked appalled and was almost in tears.
A Sad Embarkment
The man's eyes swelled up with tears. At that moment he realized that he couldn't do anything else, he had to follow the rules. He sighed and walked over to the waste bin. He grudgingly placed his neatly wrapped parcel in the bin and walked slowly toward the checkpoint.
As though nothing at all had happened, the boarding line started flowing again. Ivelise moved up and couldn't stop thinking about what she just saw. When she reached the front she hugged Rico and whispered in his ear. She had a special request for him.
Save The Day
Ivelise felt that she should help the man. So she asked Rico to go and retrieve whatever that package was and keep it safe with him. Maybe she could find out the man's details later on.
As he said goodbye to his girlfriend he told her that he was lucky to be with a kind woman like her. She always tried to help everybody. Ivelise felt it was her duty to assist him even though she didn't know what was inside the package.
Helpful Angels
When Rico walked out he saw the package still at the top of the waste bin. He carefully picked it up. Immediately he noticed how heavy it was. What could it be inside? Was it a weapon? he thought.
He kept it safe in his possession. Although he was curious to open it, he waited for news from Ivelise first. As soon as landed, she called her boyfriend to find out what it was.
What’s In The Box?
Rico had unwrapped the package but was surprised to find that its contents were rather underwhelming. At first glance, the object in question didn’t seem like something that would raise a red flag with airport security.
He lifted the weighty souvenir out of its box and turned it over in his hands. But when he flipped it over, he realized just how valuable it was.
Valuable
What had looked like a meaningless trinket was actually something much more. Rico now understood why the man at the airport had teared up when he was made to toss it in the trash.
He shook it gently and watched the flurry of glitter swirl around. It was a glass snow globe, and there were two photographs inside.
Heartbroken
The photograph was of a little girl, and the other side was a photo of an elderly couple. Underneath the globe was an engraving that read: “We love you, Katie. Nana and Papa 1/25/16.”
When Ivelise heard what was in the mysterious package, she began to tear up, too. But she knew exactly what she had to do.
A Mission
When Ivelise came back from her trip, she had already decided that she wasn’t just going to discard the snow globe. It had clearly meant so much to the man who had been forced to part with it, so Ivelise came up with a plan.
She knew that tracking down the family wouldn’t be easy, but they had to try.
Taking To Social Media
With nothing to go on except that the man had been at St. Petersburg-Clearwater Airport that day, Ivelise decided to take to social media to try and find the family.
She posted pictures of the snow globe and begged all her friends to share them far and wide. But Ivelise never imagined that the post would quickly take on a life of its own.
Going To Bed
Ivelise went to bed after posting the photos on social media. Her trip and her constant worry over the snow globe's owner had taken a toll on her.
She had dinner with her boyfriend, freshened up, and climbed into bed. Little did she know that her post was gaining traction on social media. Her wish would soon be granted.
She Wakes Up
Some hours past midnight, Ivelise woke up to a vibrating phone. The gadget was almost falling off her nightstand, with notifications streaming in constantly.
"It was louder than my morning alarm," she reported, stating that the vibrating sound wrenched her from sleep. Not knowing what to expect, she reached out for it, turning it on. What she saw made her freeze in place.
It's Self-Sustaining Now
Hundreds of notifications stared at Ivelise, with more still coming in. She logged into her social media account and started scrolling through the comments, likes, and share notifications.
Most of the people on her page were commending her for trying to help the man get his snow globe back. But other commenters had other ideas.
Reaching Him
Among the many comments thanking Ivelise for her kindheartedness were a few affirming that they knew the man she was looking for.
It turns out her friends and family had done a stellar job at sharing the pictures. They had reached the man's relatives, each of which couldn't believe that their grandpa had been forced to throw the snow globe.
His Niece
One of the commenters identified herself as the man's niece. She shared that her family had lost the girl in the photo, and the snow globe was among her most cherished possessions.
Ivelise fell into detective mode the minute she read the woman's comments. She searched her profile and her photos, friends, and posts. But what was she looking for?
Making Sure
"I wanted to ensure that she was related to the man," Ivelise said. "The internet is a very dangerous place."
She found a few pictures of the woman with the man from the airport, which were not edited in any software or otherwise. Although she opened the woman's private message, she still held her trust back.
Prove Yourself
"That snow globe was one of a kind," said Ivelise. "Anyone could come and claim they knew the owner. Anyone could lie to get to it."
Although the woman had already proved to know the man, it didn't mean she deserved Ivelise's complete trust. But Ivelise would still give her a chance to prove herself. It was the least she could do to find the man again.
Talking To Her
Ivelise and the woman, Mandy, got to talking. After about an hour of conversation, Ivelise could tell that the woman was related to the man and loved him dearly.
The way Mandy talked about her uncle was endearing. There was a warmth to the relationship she described, painting the man as a very loving man. But there was something else that Ivelise caught while talking to the woman.
Who Is The Woman?
Ivelise realized that the woman really loved the girl in the picture as if she were her daughter. But she didn't ask any questions on the matter.
She only assured Mandy that she had the snow globe with her and would be open to meeting at a restaurant near the airport where the man lost it. So, what was Mandy's answer?
From Miami To Tampa
Mandy agreed to Ivelise's terms. She lived in Miami and was willing to drive to Tampa to pick up the snow globe.
But the trip was a four-hour long drive that would need commitment and sheer strength to see through. As someone already juggling family life and work, could Mandy find the time to make the trip?
I Can't Make It
Mandy told Ivelise the reality of her issue. The drive was long, and although she wanted to, she didn't know if she could make it.
Ivelise thought for a while and asked Mandy if she was comfortable sharing their plans on social media. Ivelise planned to ask the public for help. A Go Fund Me campaign would solve Mandy's issue by helping her buy a plane ticket.
Asking For Help
Mandy agreed, and Ivelise wasted no time writing the post and opening a Go Fund Me account for the same. She shared everything about Mandy, saying she needed the people's help getting her to Tampa.
She reminded them that all the progress she'd made so far was because of them. Although she was eternally grateful for what they'd done, she still needed their help.
The People's Answer
Ivelise didn't know if her and Mandy's plan would work. But the people heard their plea, sending all they could to help Mandy fly to Tampa.
The money in the Go Fund Me account surpassed what Mandy needed for her flight to and from Tampa. So what could she do with the rest of the money?
Flying To Tampa
By the time Mandy was flying to meet Ivelise in Tampa, the story had taken a life of its own. Mandy even contacted her uncle about the snow globe, and he suggested accompanying her to the Ivelise's to pick it up.
When they finally received their snow globe, his cheeks streamed with tears as he kissed it before hugging Ivelise in gratitude. He even explained who the girl in the photo was.
The Girl In The Photo
The man, John, explained that the girl in the photo was Mandy's niece and his first granddaughter. He revealed that her doctors had diagnosed her with leukemia a few years back.
She passed away after three years of fighting valiantly. On hearing the story, Ivelise suggested they donate the rest of the Go Fund Me cash to the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation. Mandy and John agreed wholeheartedly.
Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.