Stewardess Hears Crying from Lavatory, Finds Kid Who Wasn’t on Passenger List

Leslie, a flight attendant on a cross-country flight, is jolted from her routine by an eerie sound coming from the bathroom. Little does she know that the boy inside will change her life forever.

 

Leslie massaged her temples as she made her way to the plane. The throbbing headache she was nursing was a clear reminder of the wild night she spent at one of Atlanta’s hottest clubs.

 

“Amy!” Leslie called out, spotting her fellow flight attendant. “Please tell me you have some headache pills?”

 

Amy rolled her eyes at Leslie. “Of course, I do, but you really should know better than to party the night before a cross-country flight.”

 

“What else am I supposed to do, visit museums?” Leslie sighed. “At least partying keeps me distracted.”

 

Amy nudged Leslie playfully as they both boarded the plane.

 

“One day, everything will work out for you, Leslie,” Amy said reassuringly. “Just have faith.”

 

As the passengers began boarding, Leslie and Amy got to work, ensuring everything was in order, from the safety demonstration to helping passengers settle in. Once everything was under control, Leslie sneaked away to the galley to take her headache pills.

 

“I wonder if Amy would mind if I lie down for a bit,” Leslie thought to herself. But before she could follow through, an odd sound stopped her in her tracks.

 

Leslie paused, straining to listen. A moment later, she dismissed it as a figment of her imagination. Perhaps Amy was right—maybe it was time to cut back on the partying. She was already planning to hit several clubs in L.A., but perhaps she should take it easy.

 

As Leslie passed the bathroom door, she heard the strange sound again—a high-pitched, mewling noise. There was no way a cat was on board, so it had to be a child crying.

 

Leslie knocked on the bathroom door, but when no one responded, she cautiously opened it. What she saw made her scream.

 

Inside, huddled and crying, was a young boy. He looked up at her with tearful eyes, his small frame shivering in fear.

 

“Don’t do that!” Leslie exclaimed, still recovering from the shock. “What are you doing in here?”

 

The boy, who introduced himself as Ben, continued to cry. His tears softened Leslie’s heart, and she knelt beside him.

 

“I’m sorry I shouted,” Leslie said gently. “You just startled me. I’m Leslie. What’s your name?”

 

“Ben,” the boy sniffed.

 

Leslie helped Ben up and seated him in one of the crew’s jump seats while she checked the passenger list for his name. She assumed it was his first time flying and that he wasn’t enjoying it. But as she scoured the list, she realized Ben’s name wasn’t there.

 

Concerned, Leslie sat beside Ben and put a comforting hand on his arm. “Ben, are you lost? I can help you find your family if you tell me where they are.”

 

Ben sobbed harder, clutching a small paper bag to his chest. Leslie’s nerves were on edge—she’d heard horror stories about suspicious substances on flights.

 

“What’s in the bag, Ben?” she asked.

 

“It’s Granny’s medicine,” Ben said between sobs. “She’s going to die without it, and it’ll be all my fault!”

 

Over the next few hours, Ben shared his story with Leslie. As the youngest in a large family, he often felt overshadowed by his older brothers. While they were busy with sports and other activities, Ben dreamt of becoming a scientist. He had hoped to make his mother proud by discovering a cure for all diseases, but instead, his experiments earned him a scolding and time in the corner.

 

When his grandmother fell ill, Ben’s family planned a trip to Seattle to bring her medicine. However, in the chaos of the airport, Ben got separated from them. He thought he had found his mother and followed her onto the plane, but soon realized she wasn’t his mom.

 

“I wanted to be the hero who gave Granny her medicine, but now I’m the bad guy,” Ben wailed. “She’s going to die because of me.”

 

Leslie was heartbroken for the boy. She alerted the authorities when they landed in Los Angeles and assumed her involvement with Ben would end there. But to her surprise, the airline made arrangements for her to take care of Ben until he could be reunited with his family.

 

Leslie found herself unexpectedly babysitting Ben in her hotel room, which disrupted her plans for a night out in L.A. Despite her frustration, she couldn’t bring herself to leave the boy alone. That evening, as they ate pizza, Leslie received a phone call that made her heart drop.

 

“My baby is sick?” Leslie asked, her voice trembling. Her mother, who was caring for her son Joe, informed her that he needed to see a specialist for a possible genetic disease.

 

“Whatever it takes, so long as my Joe gets better,” Leslie replied, tears streaming down her face.

 

As she wept, Ben approached her with the paper bag. “Miss Leslie, I think you should take this for your Joe,” he offered.

 

Touched by Ben’s gesture, Leslie came up with a plan. She booked a ticket for Ben to Seattle and arranged leave from work to accompany him. Afterward, she would go home to Missoula to be with her son.

 

When they arrived in Seattle, Ben’s family rushed to him, showering him with love and relief. Leslie, however, faced a somber reunion with her own family. Joe had become pale and thin, far from the healthy boy she remembered.

 

As the days passed, Joe’s condition worsened, and Leslie’s financial situation became dire. The airline refused to pay for her time off, and medical bills began to pile up. Just when things seemed hopeless, a knock on the door brought an unexpected surprise.

 

Standing at the door was Ben, accompanied by his family. They handed Leslie an envelope containing a check for over $100,000—funds raised for Ben’s grandmother that they wanted to give to her for Joe’s treatment.

 

“This is the greatest gift I’ve ever received,” Leslie sobbed, clutching the check. “I only hope it’s enough.”

 

Ben hugged Leslie, assuring her that it would be enough, and promised to visit Joe when he got better. Leslie smiled through her tears, grateful for the boy who had become her unexpected savior.

 

A month later, Joe recovered, his laughter once again filling the house. As Leslie watched him play outside, she reflected on how Ben had changed their lives. With a new sense of purpose, she made a call to repay the kindness that had been shown to her family.

 

The next day, she informed Ben’s family that the airline would offer them a generous discount on all flights for the rest of their lives—a small token of her gratitude for the miracle they had given her.