Have you ever been on the receiving end of an unsolicited comment about your appearance? It’s hard to fathom why some people feel entitled to criticize others. After all, shouldn’t we be able to just be ourselves without facing unnecessary negativity?
Savannah Phillips, a mother from Oklahoma, is no stranger to battling with her self-image like many others. When she flies, she tries to avoid inconveniencing others by sitting alone.
“I always aim to choose a seat where I don’t have to share it with anyone. I’m not the largest person on the plane, but definitely not the smallest either. My biggest fear is making someone uncomfortable by sitting next to them,” she shared on Facebook.
During a recent flight, someone unexpectedly sat beside Savannah, setting off an unforeseen chain of events that left her devastated.
Sharing a troubling incident that happened today, hoping the person who defended me knows the impact…
Posted by Savannah Phillips on Monday, May 14, 2018
As the flight attendants went over the safety instructions, Savannah noticed the man next to her, a 60-year-old, focusing intently on his phone.
“Tears were streaming down my face”
The man’s large smartphone screen made it impossible for Savannah to ignore what he was typing. To her dismay, she caught him composing a derogatory message about her.
“He was typing away and referred to me as a ‘stinking fatty.’ I couldn’t bring myself to read the rest. I turned away quickly, feeling like all my self-criticisms were being validated,” Savannah recounted on Facebook. “Before I knew it, tears were rolling down my cheeks, and I sat there quietly weeping.”
Posted by Savannah Phillips on Sunday, December 4, 2016
Overwhelmed with hurt, Savannah decided to avoid any further confrontation with him for the remainder of the flight.
But in a heartwarming twist, a man sitting behind them witnessed the ordeal and took a stand for the ‘stinking fatty’ seated in front.
This man, identified as Chase Irwin, abruptly stood up and addressed the rude passenger. “We’re swapping seats now. Immediately,” he insisted.
Chase directly confronted the man, expressing disbelief at his hurtful actions and urging him to show more compassion towards others.
After switching seats, Chase sat next to Savannah, noticing her distress. He offered a comforting embrace and tried to uplift her spirits immediately.
Real hero
“He reassured me, telling me to disregard the rude man and assuring me that everything would be okay,” Savannah shared on Facebook. She also revealed that they engaged in a heartfelt conversation for the remainder of the flight, discussing family, work, and children.
Deeply moved by Chase’s compassion, Savannah took to Facebook post-flight to commend him as a hero and to advocate for more people to defend one another!
It’s disheartening how some individuals choose to behave. Yet, acts of kindness like Chase’s serve as a powerful reminder of the impact of standing up for others!
If you believe in standing against such cruelty and supporting individuals like Savannah, share this story!
