A Wisconsin grandmother has just checked something off her bucket list — her very first plane trip.
Frances Dahlke, 88, had reached many milestones in her life, but had yet to check off flying.
She landed in Chicago over the weekend. Dahlke wanted to make sure her grandson Alex was the one to show her above the clouds for the first time.
“And I says, well, I’ll fly when Alex gets his pilot’s license,” she said.
And after years of training and everything coming into perfect alignment, Alex Shupe was finally able to bring that dream into reality.
“As an airline employee, you get these flight benefits,” he said. “I was able to throw her name on a list and then put her on the standby list.”
So this past Sunday, Dahlke boarded her first flight at the La Crosse Regional Airport, where her grandson would be behind the controls. But beyond sharing that special moment, she was excited about.
“The sensation, you know, and of course watching the clouds out if there are any out there,” she said.
Before the flight, her family made sure she was properly prepared in every aspect, thinking of even the little things.
“They made sure they told me to take Dramamine first. I’ve never taken Dramamine in my life either,” she said, laughing.
After going through security and her Dramamine on standby, there was nothing left but to soak in the next hour and a half with the people she loves most.
“It’s very, very nice. I felt like a spoiled celebrity. I had the first seat in uh, first class,” Dahlke said.
When the plane landed in Chicago, she and her grandson reflected on just how meaningful the experience was. A memory they said they’ll hold onto forever.
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/wisconsin-grandmother-takes-first-ever-plane-flight