Top Stories

Airport Employees Share The Saddest Goodbyes They've Seen

Airport Employees Share The Saddest Goodbyes They've Seen

[rebelmouse-image 18345173 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

What better place to witness some public heartbreaking goodbyes than the airport? Airport employees share the most heart wrenching goodbyes they have ever witnessed.

u/NervousHat asks:

Airport employees, what is the saddest goodbye you've witnessed?

The heartbreak is real

[rebelmouse-image 18345174 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

I worked at a very small regional airport so I dealt with passengers from check-in to boarding. Often the passengers and their families would stay together all the way up until boarding.

An elderly gentleman was dropping off his son who had flown in from overseas where he lived for a visit. It was just us three in the terminal at the time, and after check-in the dad looked at his son and said "I have to go before I lose it" and he hugged his son, shook his hand and left. His son stood looking out the window to the tarmac and I could see he was getting a little upset. It was just us, so I walked over and asked if he was okay, he starts crying and says "this is probably the last time I am going to see my dad". He then tells me his dad is terminally ill with cancer and he has to return to his job overseas. All I could do was hug the guy and cry with him, it was very upsetting to me even as a stranger.

Exchange students are like family

[rebelmouse-image 18345175 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

I saw a family of three ( mom, dad, teenage son) saying goodbye to another younger guy they had hosted at their house for an exchange program or something. The mom was crying and saying that he was part of the family and to visit whenever he wanted. The guy leaving looked pretty torn up but the dad and the teenage son looked pretty stoic. As the exchange student was leaving he said goodbye to each of them by hugging them and calling them mom, dad, and brother. The dad and teenage son literally burst into tears and starting sobbing really loudly. It was really sweet but really sad.

When you are ending it while on vacation

[rebelmouse-image 18345176 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

Former airport employee here,

Last summer I worked at the international airport of The Netherlands where I would drive people around to their respective flights who were in need of assistance. Anyways, in my last week I had to pick-up an elderly (85-ish) man from the check-in desk. He was accompinied by a huge number of (presumeably) family members and friends, and as I told him he had to say goodbye cuz we needed to move on to customs, the majority of the group started crying.

At first I felt really uncomfortable because I had no idea what the hell was happening, but after about 15 mins he told me he was going to Portugal to enjoy his "final moments in a beautiful place before ending it all". I went silent instantly as I didn't know how to respond to that, I'm still left with so many questions as to how and why.

The final goodbye is the hardest

[rebelmouse-image 18345177 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

The saddest goodbye was actually saying goodbye for the final time to one of my friends. He had worked for multiple airlines in the airport and was well liked by everyone. He died suddenly in his sleep and it devastated everyone in our small airport family. His family wanted to bury him in his home town so we had to ship his body away. Basically the whole airport had stopped operating while his friends loaded his body onto the aircraft taking him home. The whole ceremony performed was very emotional but I'm glad he got to take to the air even after death.

You see all the family drama

[rebelmouse-image 18345178 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

Worked as an airport employee for a while. One of my duties was to accompany minors who were flying alone. Well there was this tiny boy, ten at the time, that I had to meet after his check-in. His mom checked him in, she saw me waiting, then she said, "Can you give me a few minutes to say goodbye?" I said sure, stepped aside, then she knelt so she can look the boy in the eye. She brought him to me after a few minutes so I walked with the boy towards the gate. He looked sad, so I made small talk and told him where he was going and if he were meeting someone where he's going.

Apparently his parents are separated and his mom is sending him to his dad because she can't afford to feed him adequately and send him to school. She also can't afford a round-trip plane ticket to go with him which is why the kid's flying alone. He said he's never going to see his mom again, because he's sure his dad won't allow him to.

As a child of a bad divorce myself, his story broke my heart.

They see some of the saddest things!

[rebelmouse-image 18345179 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

I worked at Barcelona airport for a few years, and the saddest moment was also a goodbye moment. A couple with a baby of 2 came to Barcelona to visit the family of hers (she was spanish, he was british). It broke my heart when we at the sales desk realised a "Jim Wilson" who requested Special Asistance was on the flight. "Jim Wilson" is airline carrier code for a corpse being transported back home. So yes, the dead body was the baby of 2 who apparently collapsed for reasons I don't know, and now was being sent back to England.

There was literally 30 people, all family of hers in the airport, saying goodbye to the little coffin. I never saw a most lost person that the mother and the grandmother. It was shocking, many of our cooworkers had to take a break for several minutes as they could not stop crying.

Now I'm a father of a 9 month babygirl...and I'm just crying remembering this.

When you see true love

[rebelmouse-image 18345180 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

A friend of mine was staying from China as au pair? On the last day we all go to see her off at the airport. We all exchange hugs, talk about meeting again, give phone numbers, etc.

Then one guy who gives her another hug just straight out says "You were the best ever." She is blushing at this point and we all stunned.

We asked them and no they weren't dating because she would have to go home soon. She left blushing, and we had a good laugh about it.

The dude who said it was just standing there as we walked away. A very kind of weird look on his face. When we asked whats up he just said "I hope she comes back."

She came back.

When you know all the stories

[rebelmouse-image 18345181 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

I work at an international Airport in Germany. I was checking in an older lady who told me she has cancer and she is going to morrocco to get cannabis oil because that is supposed to help support the chemo therapy she is doing.

Two weeks later a young girl was at the airport demanding a ticket to morrocco crying her eyes out. Was like a punch in the gut :(

Cancer makes goodbye hard

[rebelmouse-image 18345182 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

When I was in college, I used to work at an airport in a smaller city as a passenger assistant during the summer. I would help people with their baggage or help push people in wheelchairs to their gates, etc.

On more than one occasion I pushed late stage cancer patients to their gates who were flying to another city for chemo treatments. A lot of times family members would walk with us all the way up to the gate to say goodbye, just in case it was the last time. Broke my heart each and every time :(

Pain is always hard to see

[rebelmouse-image 18345183 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

a little kid was bawling his eyes out and clinging to his dad's leg to stop him from going. I think the kid was going to stay with some older relatives ( maybe grandparents?).

This would get to anyone

[rebelmouse-image 18345184 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

Whenever a fallen soldier comes home. And especially if that soldier had his or her trusty companion with them too. Seeing those caskets come out from the plane just punches you right in the gut.

You never know what someone is going through

[rebelmouse-image 18345185 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

Years ago, I was a flight attendant and due to weather, we were slammed with missed connections, late arrivals and everything else thrown in the mix.

We were loaded up and waiting to depart from the jetway and after about 15 minutes, a woman was escorted to the plane. I led her to the last seat available on the last row and we finished our predeparture duties and took off. Everything had gone wrong that day and IIRC, we weren't catered properly so this added to my annoyance.

I took a moment to speak to the lady who boarded last and she said she was going to see her husband and then got quiet. I asked her if everything was ok and she said he had had a heart attack and she was rushing to be with him at the hospital. I asked her if he was going to be ok and she said, "I don't know." I was shocked and don't know why but I asked her if he was going to make it and she looked at me and said, "I don't know". I realized she didn't even know if he was still alive and I spent much of the rest of the flight kneeling beside her in the aisle, holding her hand.

I have thought back to that moment thousands of times over the years since then in moments when I get annoyed at people or if something inconveniences me or someone else as you never know what someone is going through.

Aw, the puppy love

[rebelmouse-image 18345188 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

A marine saying goodbye to his dog :(

For those of you in a LDR

[rebelmouse-image 18345189 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

I don't know what people thought when they saw me crying my eyes out when I was saying goodbye to my beautiful sweet girlfriend at the airport and entering the gate for the plane.

I couldn't stop crying and when I looked back for the last time and saw her sobbing I was close to send everything to hell and go back to her arms (but of course that would've meant violating my Visa by overstaying in the US and basically ruining my life). LDR are tough man but she's worth it

Devastating

[rebelmouse-image 18345190 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

So, I did Honor Guard a few years back, Air Force, and an Airman was killed in a traffic accident overseas. His fiancee was back in the states. I had to carry the casket from the plane to the hearse while the family waited on the flight line. That was pretty rough since the guy was like 20 years old.

Heartbreaking

[rebelmouse-image 18345191 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

Working one night, I passed by an elderly lady staring on cart disperser. I asked her if she needed change for a cart, she turns around and started crying telling me she had to fly down so fast she forgot to bring money with her. She flew home to pick-up her husband's body who suddenly passed away. Made me cry, gave her everything in my pocket and made sure baggage agents took care of her.

When immigration tears families apart

[rebelmouse-image 18345192 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

One time I was flying out of El Salvador to the States and I saw this big burly man and his daughter saying goodbye to each other. He was bawling his eyes out telling her to be a good girl. I think she was immigrating to the United States and he couldn't go. It broke my heart.

That's a dramatic goodbye

[rebelmouse-image 18345193 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

Man shows up at airport with 2 dozen of beautiful roses, says his wife has been on business trip for 2 weeks, and he is there to surprise her and bring her home, and needs help finding her.

Find her. She gets off the flight. Drunk as a skunk. Needs a wheelchair. We get her up front to where her husband is waiting on the checkpoint exit.

He surprises her, she puts her hand in her face, looks up and says "I'm leaving you, I found (some guy name not audible) on my trip and I love him"

She threw the roses on the ground. He picked them up, clearly shaken, said he can't do this, said goodbye, and off he went.

No idea what happened after that. But this guy was on cloud 9 surprising his wife, and she completely destroyed him in seconds.

Surprise!

[rebelmouse-image 18345194 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

I dont know, I mean we had a Family fly in to drop their daughter off for I guess a boarding school? In our business its not entirely our place to ask directly or judge (Generally we ask "What Brings you to ?") but That was a awkward ride from the plane to the FBO when the little kid realized Mom and Dad would not be staying with them.

Now thhat's messed up!

[rebelmouse-image 18345195 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

Most heathbreaking ever... Little girl of 3 years old ..that had to say goodbye to her mom who just OD. On drugs she swallowed to smuggle... Couldnt give a f*** about the mother ... but the face off total innocent kid... They had to take her out of her moms arms in the plane.

Things People Secretly Love But Would Never Admit To In Public

Reddit user sweet_chick283 asked: 'What do you secretly love that you would never admit to in public?;

Collection of VHS tapes
Bruno Guerrero/Unsplash

What makes us all unique is our passions and the things we love, whether it's singing in the shower, reading books, or listening to specific music artists.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where we are judged for our various tastes and interests thanks to social media, and it makes us consciously selective about sharing the things we love on the internet.

Curious to hear about people's personal desires under anonymity, Redditor sweet_chick283 asked:

"What do you secretly love that you would never admit to in public?"

These aren't really chores for the following Redditors.

Good Clean Fun

"Mopping, im a janitor and generally hate my work... but damn mopping is so good."

– MrDDog06

"When you have a great rhythm going it is something special. I get the same feeling while I vacuum, but won’t let my wife know I enjoy it."

– Bogus_34

Act Of Unwrinkling

"Ironing clothes. A dozen of them. Can’t explain how it relaxes me. I told one person and they looked at me like I’m crazy."

– eerie_white_glow

"My mum misses the days when dad would be out on a Friday night, my brother out with friends and me upstairs quietly playing PS1. She would pour herself a Bacardi & Coke and do the ironing while watching her TV shows."

"I'm sure she doesn't really miss it now that we've moved out and they've retired but it was her wind-down after a busy working week so I can see how people can find it relaxing."

– xdq

Our solo actions can spark joy.

Big Brother Is Watching

"pretending to be on the Truman show and whenever im in my house i act all inconspicuous so they dont know that i know that they’re watching me."

– Bec_121

"C’mon man, you’re not supposed to let him know. You signed a contract when signing up for live views. I’m reporting you."

– doeswaspsmakehoney

The Multi-Tasker

"Playing video games naked at home while eating cheese."

– thickening_agent

Releasing The Kraken

"I love the feeling when you've eaten good fibre and let out a solid long train log in the toilet. That feeling is heavenly."

– therapoootic

"Even better when it’s a clean wipe and not a poo crayon."

– TheWarmestHugz

Ultimate Comfort

"My (male 41) weekend routine is coming home from work, make hot chocolate, start a fire, dress in a ugly pink nightgown made for old ladies and watch forensic files."

– crazyloomis

Some people are obsessed with collecting things.

So Kawai

"Sanrio stationery stores. All those different multicolor pens, a thousand kinds of erasers, spiral bound notebooks galore... my kids sadly have absolutely no appreciation for this wonderland..."

– HavingNotAttained

It's A Staple

"Office supplies have a weird, special place in my heart ever since I was a kid. They don't even have to be 'cute' necessarily."

"Japan's legendary stationery stores is unironically a reason I want to go."

– _CozyLavender_

Not Caring Anymore

"The older I get the shorter that list gets. Not because I love less things, but because I don't care about hiding it."

– Bi-Beast

"YES!! I'm 53 now. I'm working my first job in public since 2006. Today is Halloween and we're allowed to dress up so I am sitting here waiting to go to work dressed as a VERY bad Wednesday Addams. My bf said I'd 'look stupid' because no one else will probably dress up and I'm like, 'WHO CARES!' My makeup looks horrible and not like I practiced, but I DO NOT CARE! I'm having fun with it anyhow and I don't care if my coworkers dress up or not. I'm bein' ME! :)"

– deanie1970

Honorable mentions start here.

The Savior

"Picking up worms from the street and sidewalks when it rains and moving them into the dirt so they don’t burn in the sun, every time it rains I do this."

– sky_kitten89

Hero Of The Moment

"Yoooo I scoot SO many snails and worms. I work as a tech/mechanic at an automotive shop, I had a peoject car towed to my house the other day and it was covered in snails. I saw them when the tow guy/coworker was unloading and I was like, 'oh! It comes with free snails!' and began moving them. He laughed then realized and said, '... Oh, you're serious. Uh... Okay.'"

"I don't care who knows it. These little things barely can look out for themselves, why shouldn't we if we can take a moment to help? I don't care what happens next, it probably doesn't matter overall but I can help this moment."

– chris14020

Why should some of the hidden desires mentioned above have to be secret?

Redditors opening up about some of these would make them a hit at parties–no shaming.

As a matter of fact, I'll totally be down for a Forensic Files viewing party where we all make hot chocolate, light the fireplace, and cozy up together in our respective pink ugly nightgowns for old ladies.

historical reenactors
Sigmund on Unsplash

We've probably all heard some variation of the saying "Truth is stranger than fiction."

Real life isn't just strange, it can also be downright ridiculous.

History is riddled with moments of absurdity.

So ridiculous that people have a hard time believing real life is, well, really real.

Keep reading...Show less