‘A+ employee’: Flight attendant’s kind gesture goes viral, earns praise online

(NEXSTAR) – A crew member on a recent flight from New Jersey to Michigan is earning praise for helping an exhausted new mom with her baby.

The story went viral on social media earlier this month after frequent traveler John Frehse, who also goes by @WoodyLovesTravel on Instagram, shared the story with followers.

As Frehse told Nexstar, a woman and her newborn baby were traveling on a flight from Newark, New Jersey, to Grand Rapids, Michigan, when the mom started to doze off.

“This woman was so exhausted that she fell asleep holding the baby,” which started “rolling off her lap,” according to Frehse.

Luckily, Republic Airways flight attendant Monique Harris intervened before the situation turned serious.

“She jumped up and caught the baby. It was a crazy thing.”

Frehse said the mother woke up right away and “apologized profusely,” only for Harris to tell her to go back to sleep while she cared for the baby.

“She then told the mother to go back to sleep,” Frehse wrote in his Instagram post, to give her a much-needed “break.”

The post, which features a photo of Harris holding the passenger’s baby, has since amassed hundreds of thousands of likes, as well as numerous comments praising Harris’ actions. It has also inspired dozens of users to share their own heartwarming stories of flight attendants who went above and beyond for passengers.

"It’s people like her who remind us that kindness still exists and that even the smallest gesture can leave a lasting impression," one commenter wrote of Harris, who Frehse called an "A+ employee."

Harris herself remarked on the post too, thanking the Instagram users (and God) for all the “love and acknowledgements” that the Instagram post generated.

“I never do anything for recognition,” she wrote. “I had no idea that being my normal natural self would grow into such a priceless moment!!!”

When reached for comment, a spokesperson for Republic Airways said Harris deserved all the praise she was getting.

“We agree with the many positive posts we’ve read on social media: Monique is an extraordinary colleague and flight attendant!” a Republic spokesperson wrote in an emailed statement.

Frehse, meanwhile, said he’s also glad that his post — but mostly Harris — was able to provide a bit of uplifting news to the often-stressful news cycle.

“The reaction is incredibly positive,” he said. “People are saying we need more Monique in the world.”

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