Leaving New York after months of grueling treatment for stage 4 cancer, two-year-old Cruz Anguiano and his family were already on cloud nine. They were finally heading home to California, Cruz now cancer-free. But Southwest Airlines decided to add a little extra altitude to their celebration.
Mid-flight, a Southwest employee got on the intercom and made an announcement. "We have a very special passenger on board today," she declared, adding, "We are so very proud of you. You are very strong and brave." Which, if you think about it, is a pretty solid understatement for a toddler who just stared down stage 4 cancer.
Then came the applause. An entire plane full of strangers erupted in cheers, with passengers passing notes of encouragement to Cruz and his parents. Cruz's mom, Elisa Anguiano, later admitted to USA Today that she had to seriously fight back the tears. It was, she said, a powerful moment, knowing they were finally going home to reunite with their daughter and the rest of their family.
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Start Your News DetoxSouthwest Airlines shared a video of the heartwarming send-off, which, predictably, went viral. One commenter on Facebook confessed they would have been "cheering and crying loudly" right along with everyone else on that flight. Another, who had checked the family in, expressed pure joy that Cruz got the special attention he deserved, noting his "best smile."
Cruz's mom later shared her deep gratitude for all the well wishes, confirming that Cruz was indeed thriving and thrilled to be back home with his sister after four months away. Because sometimes, all it takes is a plane full of strangers to remind you that the world can be pretty great.
