Julia Collman Jette and her husband Neal were on their way from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport when a special announcement was made. A deceased Vietnam War veteran who had spent more than twenty years in the U.S. military was being transported on an Alaska Airlines flight.
The passengers observed a moment of silence after the news was made in honor of the man who was making his last trip home. Denise Snow, a flight attendant, broke the spell of quiet by movingly performing the National Anthem as a memorial to the fallen veteran. The heart-wrenching voice of flight attendant Denis Snow splashed the air as she sang her version of the National Anthem in respect to a fallen veteran.
Jette took to Facebook to recount the wonderful and heartwarming incident. Her post read:
“Neal recorded this and luckily enough he had his phone out to record it. I was fighting back tears! This happened in the Anchorage airport just before we boarded our flight to Seattle. A fallen soldier’s ashes were being carried home on our plane. He served 21 selfless years in our military. What a moving experience and what an amazing voice of that Alaska Airlines employee!”
Snow, who has only known as AJm made the announcement and let everyone know that she would be singing the “Star-Spangled Banner” as a tribute when she learned of the veteran’s presence on the plane.
Once the flight attendance started singing, her beautiful voice caught the attention of everyone within earshot, and they stood still to offer their respects.
According to Neal, almost everyone at the airport stood to offer their respects. He stated that “all but two” were standing as Snow sang the National Anthem. He said: “It was awesome to see the hundreds of people stop in their tracks to pull their hats off and stand at attention to show their respect.”
There is no rule requiring employees to show respect for the warriors. However, every time a fallen soldier is placed on Denise Snow‘s aircraft, she unfailingly sings the National Anthem. She also pays tribute to veterans who participate in the Honor Flight, a non-profit initiative that enables U.S. military veterans to visit war memorials for nothing.
Watch the video below for more details:
Sources: AWM, Dailymail, Woundedtimes