Flight attendants pay it forward for adoptive couple after 9-year battle with infertility

Dustin and Caren Moore wanted children for almost a decade. And after nine years of miscarriages, fertility treatments, and the complicated process of adoption, they finally became parents of a beautiful baby girl. She was just eight days old when they adopted her in Colorado. On the plane ride home to California, they were asked why they were flying with such a young infant. Soon after, the entire plane celebrated the young family by throwing them a spontaneous baby shower.

“Why are you flying with a young infant?”

Halfway through the flight, the baby needed a diaper change. So Jenny, a Southwest Airlines flight attendant, brought the couple to a private area to change their newborn.

“Jenny and another passenger complimented my beautiful daughter and politely asked what had prompted a flight with such a young infant,” Dustin wrote in a Twitter thread. “I gave them the shortened adoption story, to which they hastily offered congratulations, and shared a few more kind remarks.”

When they got back to their seats, another flight attendant named Bobby came to ask about the baby to the parent’s confusion. They understood five minutes later when Bobby’s voice appeared on the intercom and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, there’s a very special guest on the flight today. She’s only 8 days old and she’s traveling home with her mom and dad.” [1]

“Thank you for giving this child a loving family”

The flight attendants handed out napkins and pens for anyone flying on the plane who’d like to write a message for the young infant and her new parents. Everyone cheered and applauded the happy family, and man people came to congratulate the couple and coo at the newborn.

It’s been a difficult week.

But, rather than publicly air my grievances, I’d like to share w/ you the kindness strangers offered us the day we brought our daughter home.

I hope our story uplifts you, and reminds you there is goodness to be had in this world.

A thread… /1

— Dustin Moore, MS, RD (@theamericanrd) February 9, 2020

“We had no expectation they would have done something like that,” said Dustin Moore. “I get choked up thinking about it.”

The crew collected the messages and read some of their favorites aloud. Such as:

“Rub each other’s feet, and rub the baby’s feet.”

“Make time for date night.” 

“Always tell her you love her.”

“Enjoy every minute. It goes by sooo very fast.”

“Drink lots of wine!”

One said, “I was adopted 64 years ago. Thank you for giving this child a loving family to be part of. Us adopted kids need a little extra love. Congratulations.”

The flight attendants presented all 60 of the napkins to the Moores along with a set of pilot wings. Jenny and Bobby said that they were married as well, and when they were on their honeymoon, a flight attendant threw them a similar party. It was time that they paid the kind act forward.

“What all of those perfect strangers and attendants did not know, was the emotionally tender state of two brand-new parents. Parents who after 9 years of trying had been blessed with their first child. Parents who felt scared, but determined in their new role,” Dustin wrote on Twitter. [2]

Read: Airline Didn’t Let Dad And Newborn On Plane, So Kind Stranger Took Them Home

This website is used oft as a means to share what’s wrong.

I hope you’ll take time to share what is good. In a world of turmoil, don’t forget to showcase the Bobby’s and Jenny’s, the kind strangers out there.

And if they don’t cross your path, be one. Seek good, or create it. pic.twitter.com/XMxkJXkh18

— Dustin Moore, MS, RD (@theamericanrd) February 9, 2020

“It’s just amazing having a daughter”

Adoption is a long and anxiety-ridden process. The Moores were present at the hospital in Colorado when their baby was born, and their plane ride home was full of relief and meaning. “Adoption is wild with uncertainty,” he said. “You wonder, is this birth mother going to choose us? What happens if she changes her mind if she backs out?”

The new parents also feared the stigma they and their young infant might face, making the flying baby shower even more impactful. “We were insecure about people not thinking much of our daughter,” Dustin said. “It’s not very rational, but we were just concerned about what people would think by the virtue of her being adopted by us – we didn’t give birth to her.

“But the fact that that entire flight, everybody cheered, everybody took the time to share those notes with our daughter, it was just everything we needed in that moment just to feel secure. And to feel, ‘Okay, this is going to be great.'” [3]

The Moores keep a photo album of all of those notes from strangers on that plane ride. Perhaps they’ll show it to their child one day.

“It’s just amazing having a daughter,” Dustin said. “All the little details that are mundane to other people are amazing to us. When she burps, we’re like, ‘What an accomplishment!’ It was a long, long wait for her, but every minute we had to wait was worth it.”

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