Losing a valuable item is never fun, but it’s especially rough when it happens on a plane. By the time you realize it’s missing, there’s a good chance it’s too late to retrieve it. At that point, you’ll have to deal with the airline’s lost and found department and hope for the best. Unless, of course, a hero flight attendant steps in.
Life coach Walter Nusbaum @theareteway recently posted to Instagram about leaving an important item behind on a plane. It was his 2025 planner, and he said it contained “every engagement, every coaching and speaking training event.” If that weren’t enough, the planner was filled with personal notes.
The planner would have been nearly impossible to replace, so Nusbaum drove back to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) multiple times to check with the airport’s lost and found. Eventually, they told him that it was “probably just thrown away.”
A package arrives
The flight attendant took the planner to FedEx
It turns out, the planner hadn’t been thrown away after all. Nusbaum’s plane flew to Florida, where it was found by a passenger who turned it into a flight attendant.
The flight attendant could have dropped off with the lost and found in Florida, and Nusbaum would have been none the wiser. Instead, Nusbaum says, “She went to FedEx, and with her own money, she boxed it up and mailed it with a written note.” He went on to say that her name is Malia, and he can’t thank her enough for returning the planner.
Nusbaum said that the flight attendant’s selfless act made him realize “there are some really great people in the world.” He ended by once again thanking Malia for “going out of her way to help a total stranger.”
People are inspired
People are inspired by Malia’s generosity
In the comments, people commended Malia for her kindness. Beyond that, many people were grateful that Nusbaum shared such an inspiring story.
“The news is flooded with stories of cruelty and selfishness. But I truly believe most people are good. It just doesn’t make the news. What a great story to share with us!”
“A wonderful story. Thank you for sharing it!”
“This makes me feel happy.”