Fellow flyers shower new parents with words of love

It had been nine long years of fertility treatments, miscarriages and adoption stress, but Dustin and Caren Moore finally were on a flight home with their adopted baby girl in their arms. They nervously cradled their daughter, who was just 8 days old.

Midflight from Colorado to California on Nov. 9, Dustin Moore realized that the baby needed a diaper change. A Southwest Airlines flight attendant named Jenny led the couple to a space where they could change the newborn.

“Jenny and another passenger complimented my beautiful daughter and politely asked what had prompted a flight with such a young infant,”he wrote in a Twitter thread this week.“I gave them the shortened adoption story, to which they hastily offered congratulations, and shared a few more kind remarks.”

Moments after they returned to their seats, another flight attendant announced on the intercom, “Ladies and gentlemen, there’s a very special guest on the flight today. She’s only 8 days old and she’s traveling home with her mom and dad,’” Dustin Moore said.

The flight attendant announced that he’d be passing out napkins and pens for anyone who wanted to jot down a message for the new parents. The cabin erupted into cheers and applause. A steady stream of people came by to congratulate the couple.

“We had no expectation they would have done something like that,”said Dustin Moore, his voice cracking. “I get choked up thinking about it.”

One of the napkins read: “I was adopted 64 years ago. Thank you for giving this child a loving family to be part of. Us adopted kids need a little extra love. Congratulations.”

After more applause, flight attendants bundled the 60 napkins and gave them to the Moores, along with a set of pilot wings.