Rose was a young woman who didn’t like flying. She had only started taking flights when she began visiting her husband, Bill, who worked as a miner in Texas while she lived in Omaha.
Bill’s job paid well but kept him away most of the year, only coming home for a short break between Christmas and New Year’s.
One day, while Rose was on a commercial flight, she unexpectedly went into labor. This caused the pilot to change the flight path, but instead of heading to the nearest airport, the plane was rerouted elsewhere to handle the emergency.
Rose, now heavily pregnant, had convinced Bill to let her visit him once a month in Texas, despite his initial reluctance. Over time, these weekend visits became a cherished routine in their marriage, and the moments they spent together in Bill’s small apartment were some of their best.
It was during one of these romantic weekends that Rose became pregnant. Bill was thrilled about the baby and had big plans. He promised to retire from mining once the child was born and start a farm in Omaha. Bill came from a family of successful farmers, and he believed they could make a good living growing crops.
Even though Bill had asked Rose to stay home during her pregnancy, Rose was determined to see him. Flying to Texas had become such a habit that she couldn’t bear the thought of missing their time together that weekend, so she boarded the plane one last time, despite being so close to her due date.
“You are nine months pregnant, Rose,” Bill reminded her during their last call.
“Oh, thank you for pointing that out, I had no idea my stomach started swelling nine months ago,” Rose replied sarcastically.
“You shouldn’t be traveling at all, let alone flying across states. It’s absurd, my dear,” Bill insisted, concern evident in his voice.
“I need to see you, Bill,” Rose cooed. “I’ve missed you so much.”
She had let him convince her to stay home for the past two months, but this time, she wasn’t backing down.
“I know, baby,” Bill sighed. “But it’s September, and I’ll be home for good in December. Just be patient, hon.”
Rose let him think he’d convinced her again, but when Friday arrived, she packed her bags and boarded a flight to Texas. When she arrived and surprised Bill, he pretended to be angry, but they quickly fell into their usual rhythm and cherished their time together.
By Sunday evening, when Rose boarded the plane back to Omaha, she was glowing with happiness after spending a refreshing weekend with Bill. But once the plane took off and hit turbulence, she was quickly reminded of how much she disliked flying. Rose preferred solid ground, where the worst-case scenario wouldn’t involve falling from the sky.
Another shake rattled the plane, sending her imagination into overdrive. She began worrying about everything from hijackings to plane crashes, and her stress level spiked. While her mind raced with worst-case scenarios, something unexpected happened—her water broke.
At first, Rose didn’t even realize it. She noticed the wetness and blushed, assuming she’d lost control of her bladder due to the stress. It never occurred to her that her water had broken three weeks early. But then, the contractions started, and Rose finally understood what was happening. She was going into labor.
Rose’s scream filled the cabin, catching the attention of a nearby flight attendant, who rushed over. “What’s wrong?” the attendant asked, her voice filled with concern.
“I’m having a baby!” Rose yelled, gripping the armrests as another contraction hit her.
The flight attendant quickly relayed the situation to the pilot, who immediately contacted the nearest airport for permission to land. While waiting, the attendant tried to soothe Rose by talking to her between contractions.
“Why are you traveling alone, especially so far along in your pregnancy?” the flight attendant asked, her voice soft but concerned.
“I was visiting my husband and now I’m returning home,” Rose replied breathlessly.
“He let you travel like this? That’s so irresponsible!” the flight attendant remarked, shaking her head. “Okay, do you have family we can call? Other than your husband?”
“No, I’m an orphan,” Rose said, her voice weakening as the contractions became more intense.
The flight attendant noticed Rose was burning up with a fever and struggling to endure the pain. Realizing the situation could turn dangerous without medical help, she informed the pilot, urging him to make the emergency landing as soon as possible.
The pilot, Drew, received unsettling news from the dispatcher: the nearest airport wasn’t ready to take their plane due to bad weather. Time was running out, and Rose, in her feverish state, could only cry out for her husband. Drew knew he had to act quickly.
“We’re going back to Texas,” Drew said with determination.
He instructed the flight attendant to keep Rose stable for another thirty minutes, but soon, more bad news arrived—Texas was experiencing severe weather too, and they weren’t allowed to land at the airport.
Despite the setbacks, Drew had one last option. He knew the area well and remembered an old, abandoned airstrip not far from the airport. The only issue was the runway—it was too short for a plane their size. Still, it was Rose’s best chance to get help.
“We’re landing at the abandoned airstrip,” Drew announced to his co-pilot, Stan, who was still relatively new to flying.
“Sir, with all due respect, landing there is against the rules,” Stan said, hesitant.
Drew turned to him, eyes focused. “Sometimes, to save a life, you have to follow your conscience, not the rules,” he replied firmly.
Stan nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. The decision was made—Drew was going to attempt the risky landing to save Rose and her unborn child.
Drew instructed the flight attendant to contact Rose’s husband as the plane circled the abandoned airstrip, preparing for a risky landing. Every move had to be precise, and Drew knew there was no room for error.
They circled once, then twice, each time bringing the plane closer to the ground. Meanwhile, Rose was slipping in and out of consciousness, her contractions overwhelming her.
As the plane neared the ground, Drew knew it was time to take the leap of faith. With no control tower to guide them, it was all on him. The co-pilot, still a rookie, was on the verge of panicking but followed Drew’s calm lead. After several tense minutes, the plane finally touched down safely.
As soon as the hatch opened, an ambulance with EMTs and Rose’s husband raced toward the plane. They were followed closely by media vans and a few concerned civilians who had rushed to the airstrip, fearing a crash. Drew had done it—he landed the plane against the odds, and now Rose was on her way to getting the help she needed.
Bill gently carried his pregnant wife to the ambulance, overwhelmed with worry as they raced to the hospital. All he could do was pray that Rose, who looked exhausted and unwell, would be okay.
At the hospital, doctors quickly checked her vitals and realized she was too weak to deliver the baby naturally. They decided a C-section was the only option. Bill wasn’t allowed in the operating room, so he waited anxiously outside. After what felt like an eternity, he was finally called in to meet his new baby and see his recovering wife.
Relief flooded over him. He couldn’t believe how close he had come to losing them both. That day, Bill decided to quit his job, vowing never to leave his family for long periods again. When they returned to Omaha, it would be for good.
Out of gratitude, Bill asked for the name of the brave pilot who risked it all to help them. He and Rose agreed to name their baby after him.
As for Rose, it would be many years before she would ever set foot on an airplane again.
What did we learn from this story?
Human life is incredibly valuable. Drew made the right choice when he decided to land the plane at the abandoned airstrip to save both Rose and her baby. It reminds us that life is precious and should be protected at all costs.
Overthinking is not helpful. Rose might have made it back to Omaha without any issues if she hadn’t let her mind race after the turbulence. Her anxiety triggered stress, and her body reacted by going into labor early. This shows that overthinking often makes things worse instead of helping.
Share this story with your friends—it might brighten their day and inspire them.
Newly-unveiled statue of Queen Elizabeth II includes her beloved pet Corgis
A great deal of people felt sorrow upon Queen Elizabeth II’s passing in 2022. She was adored by the public and the longest-reigning monarch in British history, having ruled for 70 years.
The late queen is now being honored with a monument that was recently unveiled, honoring her affection for her pet corgis!
The Queen’s new statue, together with her dogs
On Sunday, a 7-foot-tall bronze statue of Queen Elizabeth was unveiled in observance of the monarch’s 98th birthday.
In Oakham, England, the sculpture was made by artist Hywel Pratley and is situated close to the Oakham Library. It is Queen Elizabeth’s first ever permanent memorial.
Rutland City Council said that hundreds attended the unveiling. There was music from local school bands and bagpipers.
The most priceless feature of this new memorial is that the queen’s cherished Corgis pet is also depicted, immortalized in bronze by the monarch’s feet:
The city authority claims that local schoolchildren created the designs for the Corgi monuments.
In contrast to the many stern and imposing monuments of queens like Queen Victoria, Pratley stated he wanted the statue to portray the idea of Queen Elizabeth as “an almost motherly figure,” according to the New York Times.
During the unveiling, local dignitary Sarah Furness remarked, “What most of us remember about Queen Elizabeth is her warmth.” “We demonstrate Queen Elizabeth’s humanity by showcasing her affection for dogs.”
The statue’s creator claims that he intended it to be hospitable to onlookers. Pratley said, “We designed it with a bench you can sit on.” “And there’s a corgi you can pet, and I do believe that this will eventually become a selfie-encouraging statue.”
The Times reports that a number of Corgi owners brought their dogs to the unveiling, indicating that a large number of people have already visited the statue.
The history of Queen Elizabeth’s Corgis pet
For many years, the Queen’s corgis were an iconic aspect of her life and a solace during tough political and personal times. Fans all throughout the world were likewise pleased by the cute pets.
The first Corgi was acquired by the royal family in 1933 when Dookie, a dog owned by Elizabeth’s father and predecessor George VI (who was then the Duke of York), was brought home.
Dookie was reportedly extremely cantankerous, yet Elizabeth and him appeared to have a unique relationship.
Then, on her eighteenth birthday, the Queen received a Pembroke Welsh corgi of her own, named Susan.
Susan reportedly slipped under a rug in the royal carriage to disrupt the wedding of the Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, according to the BBC.
1959 saw Susan’s death at the age of almost fifteen. Her epitaph referred to her as “the faithful companion of the Queen,” and she was laid to rest at the royal estate of Sandringham House.
The Queen stated, “I had always feared losing her, but I am ever so thankful that her suffering was so mercifully brief.”
But Susan left quite the legacy; during the ensuing few decades, the Queen accumulated over thirty corgis, all descended from her original canine companion.
The Queen always had at least one corgi, and often had several at once, from 1933 until 2018. She traveled with the dogs in tow, and they resided in a designated “Corgi room” at Buckingham Palace with wicker beds. It is said that the Queen took care of them personally and baked them biscuits over the holiday season.
These canines undoubtedly received royal treatment and grew to represent the Queen throughout her life.
While Elizabeth valued the dogs greatly, Prince Philip apparently didn’t feel the same way. Like many others, she took great solace from the dogs, who served as a link to the simpler times in her early years due to their relationship with her late father and her upbringing.
According to Penny Junor, a royal biographer, “her corgis are hugely important to her.” Over time, they have become more intimate with her than any human has ever been. She has never been let down by the incredibly affectionate and devoted corgis.
It also makes sense that the Queen, who represents both Britain and the United Kingdom, would have a strong bond with a quintessential British dog. Wales, a member of the UK and a neighbor of England, is where corgis first originated. When corgis were adopted as royal dogs, the breed was rare in England; yet, the Queen had a major role in the globalization of the breed.
The Queen owned several “dorgis,” or corgis bred with daschshunds, in addition to purebred Pembroke Welsh Corgis.
When the corgis and dorgis appeared alongside Queen Elizabeth on the cover of Vanity Fair in 2016, they became well-known worldwide because to Annie Leibovitz’s photography. At the time, the dogs were Candy, Vulcan, Willow, and Holly.
A notable aspect of Queen Elizabeth’s reign and a significant aspect of her life were her corgis. Their inclusion in this first memorial statue of her seems so fitting.
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