Sheila Frederick started her shift as a flight attendant with American Airlines one day in 2011, and two hours into this shift, her life was forever changed. She saw an odd pair on the flight that sparked her attention. She thought things seemed fishy, and when he realized what was going on, she ended up being the ultimate hero…
On the Job
Sheila Fredrick has worked as a flight attendant for over 10 years. Long shifts and traveling through various time zones made her job far from easy, but she loved it nonetheless. She had her fair share of interesting incidents over the years, but none like the event in 2011…
Seattle To San Fran
Sheila was working on American Airlines on a flight from Seattle to San Francisco. While it was just a quick two-hour flight, Sheila immediately picked up on something off about two passengers…
An Important Profession
The profession of a flight attendant may seem menial and many don’t realize just how important it is. Yes, they grab you pillows and food, but what they also do is report anything bizarre and unusual that could save lives. Sheila was one of those workers who just had an incredible intuition…
True Professional
After working for ten years in the business, Sheila had a keen sense of people. She could pick up on their feelings and tell if something was going on below the surface. So when she got an odd feeling about two people on her flight, she knew she had to follow her instincts…
Quick Thinking
Lots can happen on an airplane. Be it a medical emergency or an angry intoxicated passenger oftentimes, flight attendants are right in the middle of the action. Sheila is no different…
Who Is This Woman
As Sheila made her rounds to each passenger, she walked by a young girl. Instantly, she could tell that something was wrong…
Something Was Off
The young woman’s clothes were shabby, hair unbrushed and messy, but it’s not just the outer appearance that made Sheila feel strange, it was her behavior. She never looked up, her eyes were always gazing down at her knees, and the man next to her really let on that something was wrong…
Rich Man
The man was the sheer opposite of the young girl. He was older, wearing an expensive suit, and gave off the vibe that he was pretty wealthy. So why were they traveling together…
Not Family
If they were related, why would the man allow his relative to be so dirty and unkempt? Whenever Sheila tried to address the man he was short and defiant, and each time she attempted to address the young woman, the man, instead, spoke for her…
Quiet Ride
Something was wrong here and Sheila felt the responsibility to get to the bottom of it. The man never even spoke to the young woman at all during the flight. She was worried the young girl was in danger…
Something Was Up
Sheila kept her eyes on the young woman throughout the entirety of the flight. After examining her as best as she could from afar, she noticed bruises on the woman’s face and neck. She sat there lifeless, looking exhausted. Sheila decided it was time to act…
Risky Idea
Something inside Sheila urged her to do something about what she was sensing. She needed to talk to this woman, alone. She had a risky idea…
The Plan
Sheila knew she had to act fast. Heart racing, she approached the pair…
Tricky Situation
Sheila attempted to chat with the two casually, but the man instantly responded with short answers. When she tried to address the woman directly he cut her off and interrupted. That’s what Sheila noticed something else…
No Eye Contact
The young woman would not make eye contact with Sheila, almost as if she couldn’t. The man noticed that Sheila looked like she was up to something and immediately ended the conversation. Sheila was positive something was up. Time for the next step…
Go Time
As soon as Sheila saw the man go to the restroom, she acted. She rushed over to the woman and whispered: “go to the bathroom.” If she needed help, hopefully, she would be willing to get it. But Sheila soon found out that this was a much bigger situation…
Her Plan is Working
Sheila was thrilled when she was the woman get up and head to the restroom. Sheila had left something for her on the mirror…
The Note
Sheila wrote a note asking “Do you need help?” with her phone number written beside it…
Help Me!
When the woman went back to her seat, Sheila went to the bathroom to retrieve the note. There was a simple “yes” written on it…
Coming up With a Plan
Sheila tried to rack her brain to figure out her next move. This woman was being transported against her will, but Sheila was about to discover that dark truth…
Calling the Authorities
Sheila went to the pilots and they contacted authorities on the ground. The police planned to be waiting at the gate when they arrived…
Waiting at the Gate
When the plane landed, the staff played it cool. They instructed passengers to stay seated until directed. The police came onto the plane and arrested the man, taking the woman along with them to give a statement. Sheila had no idea what she had just done…
Saving Her Life
It turns out, the woman was a victim of human trafficking. Sheila had no idea it was something this huge. She had been abducted in Seattle and was being taken to San Francisco, a city with serious human trafficking issues…
She Looked Weak
Everyone praised Sheila as a hero. After the ordeal, she gave a few interviews where she said, “The bruises that I saw on her, her appearance, her demeanor. I knew something was just not right. [She] looked like she had been through pure [torture].”
Missing Something
Sheila went on to say, “I’ve been a flight attendant for ten years and it’s like I am going all the way back to when I was in training. And I was like, I could have seen these young girls and young boys and didn’t even know. If you see something, say something.”
A Major Issue
Human trafficking is a huge problem in the United States. Most of the time, it is not as obvious. 2,000 human traffickers were arrested in 2017, while nearly 50,000 women were assumed kidnapped by human traffickers. Sheila saved just one of the many. The young girl now has a totally new life…
New Life
Sheila’s incredible intuition saved this woman from a life of terror and abuse. Now, she’s pursuing a new take on life…
Off To College
In the six years since her rescue, she attended college and started her career. The best part is, she and Sheila still stay in touch…
Grateful
Not only did the woman use the note that Sheila left for her cry for help, but she also ended up using Sheila’s phone number again a couple of weeks later. Sheila said, “I put my phone number on the note that I left for her and I guess she memorized it, so a few weeks later, she called…”
Changing The World
Sheila has been a huge advocate for fighting against human trafficking since the incident. She speaks out about signs for other flight attendants to pay attention to and to always keep a watchful eye. She is leading the charge when it comes to trafficking through air travel…
Tough Girl
Sheila tries to put more of the attention on the women who need help. Sheila always notes how brave it was of her to reach out for help, and how her situation will be able to save thousands of lives because of her bravery…
Seeing the Signs
Now, American Airlines has a specific training experience to even further aid in flight attendants watchful eye. Nancy Rivard is a former flight attendant, so she knows exactly what to say. The biggest signs? The victim in question not being responsive, either by not answering questions or looking up from their seat…
Getting Training
In February of 2017, Rivard met with trafficking victims to further the training experience of her flight attendants. They’re really making strides…
Making A Difference
The training session lasted two days and had human trafficking victims speak about their experiences. The trainees were also put in a simulation to spot possible victims. Because of Sheila and the victims’ bravery, training programs, such as this one, have been put into motion and many lives will be saved!