Flight Story #1413 and #1414
Tampa, Florida > Providence, Rhode Island – 50,600 Delta SkyMiles + $22.40 USD
Some moments in life remind us just how important it is to be together.
For Chelsea, the chance to see her mother again meant everything. Their story had not been an easy one. Chelsea was separated from her mother when she was about four years old, and for many years they lived apart. It wasn’t until she was 25 that she was finally able to reconnect with her mom, Karen. From that moment on, every year together mattered.
They had only 13 years to build the relationship that had once been taken from them.
Now, Karen’s health has declined due to a serious illness, and time together has become even more precious. Chelsea wanted to be there during her mother’s final days, but traveling from Florida to Rhode Island was something she simply could not afford.
In her application, she shared how deeply this visit meant to her.
“I was taken away when I was about 4 years old and I found her when I was 25. I have only had 13 years of knowing her and I am about to lose her forever.”
Chelsea wasn’t making this journey alone. Her fiancé, Julian, wanted to be there to support her during this difficult time. He knew how much it meant for Chelsea to have the chance to spend time with her mother again.
Julian had already seen just how special their relationship was. During a previous visit to Rhode Island, they were able to sit down for dinner with Karen and her husband. It was a simple evening, but one he would never forget. Watching Chelsea spend time with her mom brought her a kind of happiness that stayed with him.
He described seeing her that night as “happier than a kid in a candy store without any restriction on what they can get,” a moment that meant so much to him to witness.
But making this final trip together wasn’t easy financially. Chelsea shared that she simply could not afford the flight on her own, even though being there meant everything.
Thanks to the generosity of Kevin Bard, both Chelsea and Julian were able to travel from Tampa, Florida to Providence, Rhode Island to be with Karen.
That flight meant the chance for Chelsea to hold her mother’s hand, share quiet moments together, and say the words that every daughter hopes she has the chance to say.
After the visit, Chelsea shared a message with the Give A Mile team that captured the impact of this journey.
“I just wanted to say thank you for giving me the opportunity to say goodbye to my mom.”
These flights are about more than getting from one place to another. They are about love, family, and making sure that distance does not take away the chance to be together when time matters most.
Thanks to Kevin Bard’s donated miles and kindness, families like Chelsea’s are able to share moments that will stay with them forever.
💙 You can help another family be together when it matters most. Donate miles or funds today. ✈️