Woman Leaves Newborn On Business Class Plane Seat, Decides To Find Him 13 Years Later

By maks in Inspirational On 8th October 2024
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"PREGNANT?! You must be out of your mind, Rhonda!" her father, David Harris, yelled when he found out she was expecting a baby with her boyfriend, Peter. 

Rhonda, unlike Peter, came from a wealthy family, with her father owning a large textile company. Sadly, her mother passed away when she was just two. 

Mr. Harris had always given his daughter the best of everything—clothes, food, education—but he was a controlling man. 

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He never wanted Rhonda to go against his wishes. When Rhonda found out she was pregnant, she tried to hide it from him by wearing oversized clothes.

But as her belly grew, it became harder to conceal, and she knew she had to tell him the truth. When she finally did, he was far from pleased. 

"You're going to get rid of that child, Rhonda. Do you get it?" he demanded.

"No, Dad," Rhonda, who was just 16, firmly replied. "I won't. It's too late now, and I can't abort the baby."

Rhonda left her baby in the airplane Photo: Shutterstock

Her father’s face hardened. "Then you'll have to figure out how you're going to raise that child yourself. No one in our family has ever dared to marry someone from a lower class. So if you want to raise that man's blood, get out of my house!"

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"Fine, Dad," Rhonda said after a pause, tears welling in her eyes. "If Mom were alive, she would have supported me. I'll raise the baby on my own, and I’ll prove you wrong."

That night, she packed her belongings and left, cutting ties with her father. Mr. Harris showed no emotion, slamming the door behind her. He told her she could only return after placing the baby in an orphanage. Rhonda didn’t respond. Instead, she booked an Uber to Peter’s house, hoping for support. 

When she explained everything to Peter, she was devastated by his reaction.

Mr. Harris was against Rhonda's pregnancy Photo: Pexels

"Look, babe," Peter said coldly. "I’m not ready to be a father. Why did you leave your father’s house? He could’ve helped us financially once we married and started a new life. Get rid of that child, or forget about me, Rhonda."

Rhonda was in shock. "But Peter, this is our baby. How could you…?"

Peter interrupted, "That baby and you are just trouble for me right now. You know what? It’s over!"

"Peter!" Rhonda cried, heartbroken. "You were happy when I told you I was pregnant! What changed?"

"Because you’re nobody right now, babe. Your dad kicked you out, and I’m not raising that kid. Goodbye," Peter said, slamming the door in her face.

In one night, Rhonda's world crumbled. She couldn’t believe that she was now homeless, pregnant, and without support from either her father or Peter. She left Peter’s house sobbing, wandering the streets, not knowing what to do next.

Rhonda was devastated when Peter broke up with her Photo: Pexels

Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. Rhonda realized she was going into labor. The pain was unbearable, and she pleaded with passersby for help. Luckily, a woman noticed her. With the help of her driver, the woman rushed Rhonda to the hospital.

That night, Rhonda gave birth to a healthy baby boy. When she woke up, the woman who had helped her, Angela Bamford, was sitting by her bedside.

"Thank you for helping me," Rhonda whispered weakly. "My child... Is he okay?"

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"He's perfectly fine," Mrs. Bamford reassured her. "Are you new in town? I noticed you had luggage with you."

Rhonda couldn’t hold back her tears. She broke down and told Mrs. Bamford everything—how she ended up homeless and pregnant. 

"I don’t want to stay in Texas anymore," Rhonda sobbed. "But I don’t know if I can give my child a good life."

Mrs. Bamford was deeply moved by Rhonda’s story. She was reminded of her own daughter, who had gone through a similar situation.

Rhonda gave birth to a baby boy Photo: Pexels

"Don't say that, dear," Mrs. Bamford said, comforting her. "I used to have a daughter your age. When we found out she was pregnant, we were furious and kicked her out. My husband owns an airline company, and we were wealthy enough to support her, but we were too upset at the time. She couldn’t handle it, and... she took her own life. I don’t want anyone else to go through that. It’s a terrible place to be."

"I’m so sorry to hear that," Rhonda said, wiping away her tears.

"I regret it every day," Mrs. Bamford continued. "But it's too late now. Don’t worry, I’ll help you. I can book a ticket for you and your baby to start a new life somewhere else."

"Oh no," Rhonda protested. "You’ve already done so much for me. I won’t be able to repay you."

"Please," Mrs. Bamford insisted. "If I help you, it will be like I’m helping my daughter. It will ease some of my guilt."

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Rhonda couldn’t refuse the kind woman’s offer. A few days later, she found herself flying business class from Austin to New York, with her baby in her arms, ready to begin a new life. But as the plane soared through the sky, her mind was filled with worry.

"What if I can’t take care of my child? What if we end up on the streets?" These thoughts haunted her, making her so anxious that she barely noticed when the plane landed at JFK.

Mrs. Bamford booked a business class ticket for Rhonda Photo: Pexels

As they prepared to disembark, Rhonda was overcome with fear. The idea of being alone in a new city with no support terrified her. In a moment of desperation, she made a heart-wrenching decision. She decided to leave her baby on the plane, hoping someone would find him and give him a better life.

She waited until the people around her had left. Then, when no one was looking, she placed her son on the seat, left a note she had written earlier, and hurried off the plane without looking back. It took all her strength not to turn around and take him with her, but she believed this was for the best.

When a flight attendant, Lincy, came by to check the seats after the passengers had left, she was shocked to find the baby. Her heart sank as she read the note Rhonda had left behind.

"I’m a poor mother who can’t care for her child. Please don’t try to find me. I couldn’t give him a good life. I hope you will love him as your own. I would be grateful if you named him Matthew. Matthew Harris. That’s the name I chose for him."

Rhonda left a note with her baby Photo: Pexels

13 Years Later...

Rhonda had spent the next 13 years rebuilding her life. After seven years of living on the streets and struggling to make ends meet, she finally found a stable job and was doing well financially. Yet, not a single day went by without her regretting her decision to leave her son behind.

Eventually, she mustered the courage to search for him. She knew it was a long shot, but she approached the local police, told them her story, and with the help of a kind officer, she managed to track down her son.

To her relief, Matthew had kept the name she had given him. He was adopted by Lincy, the flight attendant who found him, and her husband. But when Rhonda finally met her son, things didn’t go as she had hoped.

"My mom? You’ve got to be kidding!" Matthew shouted. "Where were you all these years? I don’t need you. I’m happy with my adoptive parents."

Rhonda’s heart broke at his words. She had feared this reaction, but she had to try. 

"I’m sorry, Matthew," Rhonda said, her voice trembling. "I know you’re upset, and you have every right to be. But can’t you give me just one chance?"

"No way!" Matthew shot back. "You left me all alone. If my parents hadn’t adopted me…"

Matthew lashed out at Rhonda Photo: Pexels

"But Matthew," Rhonda interrupted, her eyes welling with tears. "I didn’t want to leave you. Please, just let me explain."

Matthew hesitated. He didn’t want to hear her out, but his adoptive parents persuaded him to listen.

Rhonda didn’t tell him everything—he was only 13, after all—but she explained that she was poor, abandoned by his father, and had no way to provide for him at the time. 

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Lincy stepped in to explain that Rhonda had given him up out of love, hoping he’d have a better life. Even so, Matthew struggled to accept her as his mother.

"I might be able to forgive you," Matthew finally said. "But I can’t call you Mom. I already have one."

Rhonda nodded, holding back tears. "That’s okay, Matthew. Could I at least visit you on weekends?"

Rhonda requested Matthew to forgive her Photo: Pexels

"Fine, I don’t mind that," Matthew agreed.

Today, Matthew is 23 and works as a data scientist in New York City. Over time, he was able to forgive Rhonda and understand the difficult situation she had been in. They’ve grown closer, and he now accepts her as his mother.

Rhonda’s life has also taken a positive turn. She’s been dating a man named Andrew for about a month, and she’s considering marrying him. Before making any big decisions, though, she plans to talk to Matthew about it. 

Rhonda even reconnected with Mrs. Bamford during a trip to Texas two years ago. Mrs. Bamford was overjoyed to see how Rhonda’s life had turned around.

This account is inspired by our reader's story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only.