There are stories that captivate internet users, often the most human ones. That’s what happened with the heartwarming moment experienced at an airport. Addison Stock believed her father—John Arvin, a Southwest Airlines captain—would be waiting for her in Arizona upon her return from her honeymoon. What she never imagined was that her father would be the pilot of the flight that would take her home. It was all captured in a video that has since been widely shared on social media.
Addison Stock’s surprise: seeing her father in another country and being the one in charge of returning her home
“It was like an out-of-body experience, because you didn’t expect to see your father at the airport,” the young woman explained after the video. The couple had forgotten to check in the day before the trip and had to wait in long lines to process it. While waiting to board, already suffering from a headache, Stock saw a Southwest Airlines pilot approach them smiling. It was her dad. Imagine Addison Stock’s surprise, seeing her father in another country and being the one in charge of returning her home safely.
The surprise was so great that the young woman could barely compose herself. That’s the thing about surprises, you never know how the other person is going to react. It was Quinn, Stock’s husband, who quickly stood up to hug his father-in-law. Seeing another pilot filming the surprise, the young woman realized it was her father who would be taking her home and jumped up to hug him. The people at the airport didn’t understand what was happening, but in the background, you could see that as soon as the scene began to make sense, the witnesses began to smile. Their faces lit up at the joy of father and daughter. “This has been my whole life. He’s always been one of those who show up,” the young woman said of the surprise her father had given her.
Sometimes you just need to see a happy, emotional video that reminds us that we are human
“I told him, ‘You asked me to pick you up at the airport, so here I am. ’ He was surprised his dad was there. It was funny. It was an emotional moment,” is how Addison’s father, John, described the situation. It’s certainly a story that has touched many internet users. This type of video, this type of content, is what makes many people happy to have social media. Sometimes you just need to see a happy, emotional video that reminds us that we are human and that, in reality, we are very simple.
What’s particularly moving to many people is that Addison’s father had planned everything down to the last detail. The pilot had been planning the surprise for months, ever since his daughter had asked him for help organizing her honeymoon. Therefore, he needed a colleague to help him pull off the big surprise. On the day of the trip, John hid in a gift shop, while his colleague Karl Sheltz scoured the area for Addison to make sure everything went smoothly.
“She’s very important to me. I was able to be very present in her life, and it was special. It was a pleasure to be there. Everything went perfectly,” the father of the protagonist of this story emphasized. Parents who are present are everything children need. This story serves as a reminder of the importance of families, both inherited and chosen. Loving and caring for the people around us has a tremendous impact.
Finally, Addison Stock wanted to emphasize the important role her father has played throughout her life. “It was a testament to how he has been, literally, throughout my entire life—always there, loving, and wanting me to be special. It was simply perfect,” Addison emphasized.
