The heart-wrenching voice of flight attendant Denis Snow rented the air as she sang her version of the National Anthem in respect to a fallen veteran who was on her flight. Alaska Airlines was the flight on which the veteran was on and one of the passengers on board was Julia Collman Jette together with her husband. Soon after boarding and departing from the International Airport at Ted Stevens Anchorage, an announcement was made that on-board, there was a fallen veteran who had served the United States for two decades. He had also fought in Vietnam. Veterans hold a very special place in people’s hearts thanks to their dedication and sacrifice to keep the country and the citizens safe.
After the announcement was made, the passengers held a moment of silence for the fallen soldier, but the silence was broken when Denise started to sing. Julia posted the incident on her Facebook account saying “Neal documented this and coincidentally enough he had his phone out to catch it on video. I was struggling to fight back tears! This took place in the airport at Anchorage just before we got on our plane to Seattle. A deceased soldier’s remains were being taken home on our flight. He served for 21 years selflessly in our forces.
What a touching experience and what a remarkable voice of that Alaska Airlines employee!”
The veteran was identified as AJ and as soon as Denise announced his presence, she also decided she will sing the Star-Spangled Banner in tribute to his life and service. Once she broke into song, she became the center of attention, with some humming along and others maintaining silence in solidarity to her somber tribute. Neal, Jette’s husband noted that a lot of people took their time to pay respects and that everyone but two stood up when paying Denise was singing. There are no rules or laws that require the staff to pay tribute to soldiers, so Denise did this out of the willingness of her heart. She has done this every time she has learned of a veteran’s presence in the airport or on her flight.
She also ensures to honor any veteran who makes the Honor Flight. The Honor Flight is an honorary program that was started by an NGO (Non-Profit Organization) to help veterans who want to visit memorial sites to do so for free. Other people on the flight commended her for her sense of empathy and respect, something they showed by staying silent as she belted out the sad tune. Denise has become an online sensation due to her act of bravery. The video went viral on Facebook, garnering more than 381 thousand views and more than six thousand five hundred shares. Many people commented inspiring and encouraging messages about the heartwarming incident. Social media has brought to light so many heartwarming incidents such as this that reminds us of the good part of humanity. It reminds that that even in the worst of situations or times, kindness and humanity always prevails. Incindents like Denise’s remind us of the best parts of mankind.