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15-Year-Old Steps Up to Help Blind and Deaf Man on Alaska Air

June 23, 2018
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2 min read
blind and deaf passenger
15-Year-Old Steps Up to Help Blind and Deaf Man on Alaska Air
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An inspiring Facebook post went viral on Wednesday when a blind and deaf passenger, Tim Cook, was assisted by a 15-year-old girl, Clara Daly, on an Alaska Air flight with service from Boston (BOS) to Portland (PDX).

Cook was traveling from Boston, where he was visiting his sister, home to Portland. His sister accompanied him at the gate, but he boarded the plane alone. Passengers soon realized that Cook was by himself on the flight.

Upon boarding, one man gave up his aisle seat so that Cook wouldn't have to take the window. That passenger also helped Cook make his coffee.

After a bit, the flight attendants on the route decided to make an announcement over the PA to see if anyone on the flight knew sign language in order to better communicate with Cook. That's when Daly, who was supposed to travel direct from Boston to her hometown, Los Angeles, but had to travel through Portland after the flight was canceled, first rang her flight attendant call button.

After studying ASL for about a year, she was confident enough to finger-spell to Cook so that he could feel the letters she communicated. Daly's mom, Jane, later said that her daughter thought that the re-route was "meant to be... so she could be there to help Tim."

Daly made a couple of trips to Cook's seat to make sure that he was doing okay, and to see if he needed anything. In an interview with King 5 News, Daly shared what they talked about. "He was asking me why I was in Massachusetts, [we were] talking about my grandmother who I was visiting, he told me about his sister and his family out in Massachusetts," Daly recalled. The two also talked about how Cook was a travel salesman before he became deaf and blind. He asked the names of the passengers around him.

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Lynette Scribner, one of the many who witnessed the act of kindness, was so touched by the experience that she decided to post about it on Facebook. In Scribner's post, she said that the experience reminded her, "that there are still good, good people who are willing to look out for each other."

Alaska Air even covered the story on its blog. Alaska did not offer additional comment when TPG reached out.

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
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