Soldier Was Stuck in Airport for 2 Days Without a Way Home. Then, Stranger Makes a Phone Call

Travelling can be really difficult around times like the holidays. Airports and highways are always jam-packed with people trying to get to places.

One man understood this fully when he was stuck in an airport for 2 days after trying to rush for a flight home for Memorial Day Weekend.

Keaton Tilson is a mechanic in the army and is currently stationed in Fort Hood, Texas. After being given a last minute leave, he rushed to the airport to try and catch a flight home to Illinois for Memorial Day Weekend.

via Facebook – Keaton Tilson

Tilson was waiting at the airport for a standby ticket, but was continuously disappointed when the seats were booked full due to Memorial Day Weekend. He waited a full two days hoping for a seat to open up, and that’s when everything finally changed.

Josh Rainey, a kind stranger overheard his situation and decided to step in to see what he could do for the young man.

via Facebook – Josh Rainey

Rainey offered up his seat for the flight, however the gate attendant told the two gentlemen that they weren’t able to transfer tickets.

Despite all hope looking to be lost, Rainy could not get the situation out of his mind. He decided to give his wife a call.

After talking it through, the couple decided they would purchase Tilson a ticket home.

It was an emotional moment when Rainey told Tilson what they were going to do for him.

“We shook hands at first and then he walked away, and then he came back and asked if he could hug me, and I think we both had to fight back the tears after that,” said Rainey.

The ticket cost $350, but Rainey and his wife agreed that it was well worth getting the soldier home to his family.

“It was pennies, pennies on the dollar compared to what I got back from that hug,” said Rainey.

Tilson still couldn’t believe that a random stranger would be kind enough to buy him an expensive plane ticket home, “I’m very appreciative because if it wasn’t for him, I probably wouldn’t be here right now.”