When a man and a teenage girl boarded a flight from Seattle to San Francisco, Alaska Airline flight attendant Shelia Frederick was suspicious.
The man was smartly dressed while the girl wasn’t and she refused to make eye contact with anyone.
While doing her job aboard the plane, Shelia could not stop wondering about the girl and eventually hatched an ingenious plan that took real courage. Courage that meant this young girl was saved from a dangerous situation.
Shelia Frederick, you are a hero my friend! @AlaskaAir Flight attendant rescues girl, signs of human trafficking http://buff.ly/2kAgoHj
Posted by Women Who Startup on Monday, February 6, 2017
As she was serving refreshments on the aircraft, Shelia was unable to look away from the girl and made a valiant attempt to make eye contact.
She informed a coworker of her suspicions, and the two of them collaborated to divert the man’s attention while Shelia attempted to win her over.
In an interview with Good Morning Britain, Shelia stated, “I excused myself to go to the back and I just broke down because when she finally looked up, the look in her eye was just heartbreaking.”
She came up with a brilliant scheme in which she locked one of the plane’s bathrooms and placed a piece of paper and pencil inside, intending to unlock it just for the girl.
Shelia mimed writing and mouthed the restroom while her colleague had the man’s full attention. Then she waited, hoping the girl would get it.
I left a pen and piece of paper in the restroom.
Luckily, the girl gave herself permission to go to the restroom. Shelia refused to leave the location and watched the man closely as he lingered with her outside the restroom.
Shelia continued, “I left a note in one of the bathrooms.” “I need help,” she responded in response to the note.
Shelia warned the pilot, who then got in touch with ground control to arrange for the man to be stopped from landing by the police.
Watch the video below to hear the heroic flight attendant tell her own story in full.
The young woman Shelia rescued from human trafficking remained in contact with her, and the two had chatted a few times over the years. The Western Journal claims that the young lady is even enrolled in college.
Shelia alerts others, saying, “If you see something, say something.”
Please spread the word to honor the amazing and courageous Shelia Frederick and to encourage others to follow their gut feelings. She sets a wonderful example for all of us.
