Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Goodnews

~ John W. Howell
United Pilot Scott Wardle buys pizza for passengers – By Tanya Stamos via FB.

Today’s good news comes from the Good News Network. You may have seen this story, but I think Captain Wardle’s action is worth another look. Today is also the anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas Sixty years ago. I think he would like this story as well.

United Pilot Orders 30 Pizzas to Feed Passengers After Emergency Landing for Medical Care

By

Andy Corbley–

A United Airlines pilot has become a social media sensation after personally overseeing the order and distribution of 30 pizzas to 155 passengers on his flight.

Now monikered the “Pizza Pilot,” Scott Wardle says that after 30 years of piloting for the Air Force and as a civilian, he knows what it feels like to be stuck at the airport and that he just “had to do something to show we care.”

United Pilot Scott Wardle serving dinner he bought for passengers – Tanya Stamos via FB.

Well, that care took off, with posts and photos of Wardle handing out pizzas using the check-in counter at the gate as a kitchen counter going viral.

The story began when the Boise-based Wardle was all set for a flight to Phoenix via Houston. About 45 minutes into the trip, the flight crew called to inform him that a patient had fallen unconscious.

Though two nurses and a medic were on board, Wardle felt he couldn’t take any chances, so he came in for an emergency landing at Albuquerque.

Hoping to get the passengers back underway as soon as possible, he suddenly received word that his cabin crew had maxed out their hours, meaning he had to wait for a new set of attendants.

“I made sure to confirm they were on the way with the company, and then I thought, I got to do something with all these people,” Wardle told KTVB 7. “So, I started exploring some options at that point for what I want to do. I came up with the idea of doing pizza for everyone. It’s an easy thing. Most people like pizza.”

Wardle says he loves his job, and the only burden he felt during the whole ordeal was compassion and sympathy for the passengers. He picked up the phone and started ordering dozens of pizzas.

As he began passing them around with plates and napkins, the passengers took notice.

The viral photos and videos reached virtually every corner of Wardle’s social life, with old Air Force buddies and even his graduation class of 1984 and phoning him to say they saw him serving pizza in his pilot uniform.

Pilot Scott Wardle ‘recharges with pizza for free’ – Tanya Stamos via FB

“I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. I just did my thing,” Wardle said. “Many pilots in our company do this sort of thing; I just happened to get my picture taken.”

United Airlines insisted on reimbursing him for the pizzas. They applauded a hero of the friendly skies who waited until every passenger had a slice before sitting down for a pie.

The good news in this story is one person cared about the care and comfort of others. Today’s JohnKu talks about caring. I hope you have a peaceful weekend.

Others by John W. Howell © 2024

When someone has care,

For others more than themself. . .

Angel makin’s there.

78 thoughts on “Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Goodnews”

  5. “Angel makin’s” for sure! Thank you, John, for sharing this heartwarming story. One kind deed can make a huge difference in the lives of others. 🌞

    Liked by 2 people

  18. A great good news story. Makes you have faith in humankind again. When I did the hour-long commute to downtown Vancouver every week day, we had a bus driver who served doughnuts on Friday evening on way home. She knew how much we needed that!

    Liked by 1 person

  23. “I just did my thing”–the best kind of people.

    All of a sudden this afternoon I realized the date and thought of JFK. Sixty years…I can tell you exactly where I was. It really was forever ago.

    Liked by 1 person

  24. That was very kind of him. I was in an emergency landing once. It was a school trip to Costa Rica and I was a chaperon. A fuel tank was leaking so the pilots thought we would run out of fuel. The plane turned around and tried to get back to DFW but they told us we probably would have to land on the ground and then leave the plane through the emergency exits and go on the slides. The kids were very excited about going on the slides but we adults were nervous. Luckily the plane made it back to DFW, but no one offered pizza.

    Like

    1. Exciting is a good word for that. I was on a plane that had a strange package discovered in first class. After several unanswered announcements about the package, the crew had to assume it was a bomb so preparations were made to place it in the rear where it would do the least damage. We were all moved as close to the front as possible. While the flight attendant was carefully walking the package to the back of the plane and old lady on the aisle asked here where she was going with her possession. I joined the rest of the passengers in voting to throw her out at 30,000 feet.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Wow that was certainly exciting. What a scare. I think that was scarier than ours. I can’t believe someone would just leave a package somewhere else on the plane, and then not react when announcements were being made. I can understand you all wanted to throw her off the plane.

        Liked by 1 person

  28. Kindness had a day, recently.

    This is an example of how many people don’t need a special “Kindness Day”.

    Did the rest forget, or never learn?

    Cool Friyay, John! Neat JohnKu, too.

    Speaking of angels, I have the PDF on my desktop!

    👼𝔛 👼𝔛 👼𝔛

    Liked by 1 person

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