DENVER, CO — RE/MAX CEO Adam Contos was returning from a quick business trip to the East Coast when he met Lorraine by chance. While he was looking forward to four hours of uninterrupted work on the flight, Lorraine wanted to chat with her accidental travel companion — and, according to Contos, she wanted to talk for a reason.
Contos said he could tell Lorraine was scared and lonely, so he took out his headphones and decided to listen. Doing so, he learned Lorraine hadn’t flown in awhile. He also learned she was leaving Florida abruptly to escape the approaching Hurricane Dorian. Lorraine was sad, Contos said, so he made it his mission to help.
“People who are scared, lonely, hurting or lost always get my ear. You can tell if you look for them,” Contos said in a Facebook post detailing the meeting. “Don’t ignore this. Look for it. And do something about it.”
Lorraine was confused, he continued. She couldn’t remember who dropped her off at the airport in Florida, and she couldn’t remember who was supposed to pick her up in Denver. She talked herself into a feeling of helplessness, Contos said, so he made every effort to be there for her. He helped her with her tray table, food and drinks. The pair had dinner together. When the plane encountered turbulence and frightened Lorraine, Contos told her jokes to ease her anxiety.
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All the while, Contos worked with United Airlines staff on board to plane to ensure someone would be at the airport in Denver to pick up Lorraine. When they landed, staff was at the gate with a wheelchair to help Lorraine, and before they parted, Contos wrote his cell phone number on his card and gave it to her, telling her to call him if she needed help.
Contos called the meeting an “opportunity for kindness.” He said he chose to listen rather than ignore, and encouraged others to do the same when they see someone who needs help.
“We had fun. We called her a stow away on the plane and laughed about it. I told her she was a rebel for escaping her retirement community and that her friends would be jealous of her adventures,” Contos said. “That boosted her ego a little. We had a good time.”
While he hoped he helped make Lorraine’s day, Contos thanked her in his post, saying it was her who made his day.