Two Women With Down Syndrome Live Out Their Dreams Of Being Flight Attendants

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I worked in health care for 23 years and have always had a special place in my heart for people who live with intellectual disabilities. So when I read about the hotel in Germany that’s run by people with learning and physical challenges, I was thrilled.

These two stories are just as good :-).

26-year-old Georgia Knoll lives in Australia and it’s been the dream of this young woman with Down syndrome to be a flight attendant.

After her sister videotaped her practicing/pretending to be a flight attendant, Kathryn (her sister) posted it on Georgia’s Facebook page and wound up tagging some airlines.

‘I thought I’ll just tag some companies and if something comes of it it’ll be lots of fun and then Jetstar contacted us and said ”we’d love to have her on, can we sort something out here?”’ she told Yahoo News.

Things were indeed sorted and Georgia, who has always been an ambassador of sorts for people who have disabilities, got to be part of the cabin crew for the day.

Jetstar arranged for her to be fitted into one of their official uniforms and then she and her mother were flown from Queensland to Brisbane. After some training and meeting the airline crew, the friendly and bubbly young woman was one of the flight attendants for the flight back home and participated in, among other things, greeting the passengers, safety demonstrations and serving food.

Jetstar videotaped Georgia’s day and it’s the perfect example of someone living out her dreams.

Meanwhile, Shantel “Shannie” (also nicknamed “Princess”) Pooser, a 17-year-old girl from South Carolina, has had to make several dozen flights to Cincinnati Childrens’ Hospital for surgeries and treatment for some long term health issues she has. Like Georgia, Princess has Down syndrome.

Because she’s considered terminally ill, her mom, Deanna, asked her to make a bucket list of things she wanted to do. Because of all the flights she’s taken, high on the list was being a flight attendant. Thanks to some pilots and flight attendants at American Airlines who the Poosers have befriended over the year, Princess was able to have her wish come true on her 17th birthday. 🙂

Both of these young women seem thrilled with their ability to be flight attendants for the day and I’m thrilled for both of them. I know it’s cliche but it just goes to show that when you follow your dreams, the sky’s the limit.

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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary