Flight attendant Shelia Frederick of Alaska Airlines noticed something unsettling during a flight from Seattle to San Francisco: a young girl who seemed nervous and avoided eye contact with an elderly man. Shelia couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.
As the flight continued, Shelia devised a plan to help the girl. While serving snacks, she managed to make eye contact with the girl and silently signaled her to look for a note. She locked one of the plane’s bathrooms, leaving a piece of paper and a pencil inside, with the hope that the girl would understand the message.
When the girl used the restroom, Shelia anxiously waited. The girl wrote back on the note, “I need help.”
Shelia immediately informed the pilot, and ground control arranged for authorities to meet the man upon landing. The young girl, rescued from human trafficking, later stayed in contact with Shelia, and even attended college.
Shelia’s bravery shows the importance of trusting your instincts.
