Unexpected Return

by Angel Torres
Florida, USA

In December 2005, I was a Marine stationed in Okinawa, Japan. I was being deployed to Iraq for seven months and was given leave to come home before going to the desert. It’s an 18-hour flight from Okinawa to the U.S. I landed in Houston, Texas, and had to catch a different flight to Miami, my destination.

There was a delay in Houston, so with a couple of spare hours, I decided to grab something to eat. After eating, I stopped at the USO (United Service Organization) to see if any service members were heading in my direction. I hoped to find someone to chat with during the flight, especially if they were a Marine or had been in combat.

After about an hour at the USO, I headed toward my gate. Sitting in the waiting area, I decided to call my dad about picking me up in Miami.

Then I realized my cell phone was missing.

I looked everywhere, including the bathroom, the restaurant, and the USO. Having no luck, I used the payphone. I called my dad and asked him to cancel my account because I’d lost my phone. We share an account because he and my family want to be able to talk to me anytime.

My dad told me not to worry; we’d just get a new phone once I got home. After our conversation, I made my way on board the aircraft with disappointment — I’d lost all my friends’ phone numbers, which wouldn’t be easy to get back.

The flight was about to close its doors, so I walked to the rear of the aircraft to get seated. I stowed my belongings and sat down.

Not even a minute later, a flight attendant walked up and asked if my name was Angel. When I asked why, she asked if I’d lost my phone, and was the phone she held mine?

I looked at her, looked at the phone, and just couldn’t believe it. I mean, I am in Houston International Airport, which houses many different airlines and sees tens of thousands of customers daily. When you lose something like a phone at a place like that, it’s bound to be gone forever.

She said a gentleman picked up my phone and saw a Marine logo on it. He called my dad, got my name and flight number, then took time out of his busy travel schedule and proceeded to the gate. He gave my phone to the flight attendant to return to me.

That phone was my only way of getting hold of everyone I cared about before leaving to go to combat.

That stranger did me a huge favor that day in Texas, and I am very thankful even to this day.

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