It’s one of the most popular forms of travel across the United States today: flying. But despite the speed and convenience, it offers, getting through airport security is a hassle many of us have learned to dread.
Still, even with the prohibitive rules, we’ve gotten used to, when one Florida woman saw a fellow air traveler being forced to throw away a mysterious parcel.
There was just something about the way the man’s reluctance to part with the package resonated with her. After he was made to throw the wrapped item in the trash, the woman retrieved it with the intent of finding him and reuniting him with his cherished property – but her friendly act would end up being only the start of an unbelievable story.
Ivelise Hernandez is a regular woman from Tampa, Florida, with an extraordinary heart. On this particular day, she went to the airport with her boyfriend, Rico Bankston, who kept her company as she patiently waited to get through security.
Things were pretty normal at first, but a commotion at the front of the line was holding things up. She didn’t hear exactly what was going on, but she knew that a fellow passenger was becoming increasingly upset.
It was a routine trip to the airport at first but they soon noticed a commotion a few paces just ahead of them in the security line — a man was being forced to throw away a package. Little did Ivelise know at the time just how this episode would impact her life in an unforgettable way.
Despite all the man’s efforts, the security guards refused to let him pass through with the package. Although it was unclear what its content was, the man continued arguing with them, trying desperately to convince them to let it through.
With sadness in his heart, the man threw this precious item in the trash and went to board the plane.
Thankfully, Rico was free to look in the trash can to see what the man had thrown away – even if people might have thought he was a little strange. He didn’t face the same security checks as everyone else heading through the airport. Plus, Rico knew that he must be safe.
Hernandez recounted: “By the time we went to say, ‘hey what’s your number, what’s your address?’ he was already gone.”
They opened the box and found out just how special the snow globe was. It had a picture of the girl and a dog on one side, and the grandparents’ picture on the other side.
The words, “To Katie, Love Nana and Papa. January 25, 2016,” was engraved on the bottom.
Hernandez stated: “That’s a treasure for someone else and you had to throw away your own present, I didn’t like that at all and right then and there I knew we had to get this to him.”
Hernandez wrote about the story on Facebook and shared some photos of the snow globe too, encouraging her friends to share it around in the hope that maybe, somewhere, somehow, the story might catch the eye of someone with information on the snow globe’s owner.
Fortunately, through the magical powers of the internet, Ivelise and Rico’s story went viral. Her Facebook post started off slowly, but then the share numbers just started skyrocketing as more and more people read the details and wanted to help the couple track down the owner of the snow globe.
They finally received a phone call from the owners.
“I was excited I got to the point where I almost started crying. I felt so happy for them,” she said.
The couple met with Linda Modry and gave her the snow globe.
Modry, who lives in St. Pete, finally gave the gift to their granddaughter when she visited from Ohio.
Modry stated: “Oh, I just can’t believe it, you don’t know what we went through, this was just a really special, something special.”
Watch the video report below for the details:
Sources: OpposingViews, Bay News 9
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