![](https://airlineamb.org/test/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/maragaret_whitehead_escortpage.jpg)
*
Seventeen year old Ikechukwu (call him Philip) was fifteen when he left his home in Nigeria to come to Boston Shriners for treatment for severe burns. Finally, after two years he was ready to return home to Lagos and we would accompany him on that long trip.
*
He wanted to check a large bag that contained all the possessions that he had accumulated during that time. Because of the procedures we must follow in Paris, it is our policy never to check a bag on this route. But knowing how much this meant to this teenager we made an exception and went to work trying to figure out the best way to accomplish it.
*
![](https://airlineamb.org/test/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_20200218_150026848.jpg)
*
So everything looked good until I got a call from Rich Henderson, our medical escort who accompanied Philip from BOS to MIA (had to connect in MIA on this trip), who said there were 2 separate AA records for this boy and his bag was checked on the incorrect record, meaning it most likely would never get to Lagos.
*
I had no prior knowledge of any of this but quickly checked with the sponsoring agency who had booked his reservation was new and totally confused and had booked two records – the Miles for kids ticket with AA and another one with a travel agent.
*
In Miami, our Jacqueline Boyd was waiting for Rich and Philip so she could accompany him to Paris and went immediately over to AA, explained the situation and the agent finally said she had the problem corrected and the bag would be on the CDG (Paris) flight. In CDG Aicha had arranged for a baggage service agent to hand deliver the bag over to Air France, which she did and all our efforts paid off. Philip arrived home a happy young man with all his possessions!
*
What an amazing team we had who all worked together to make this teenager’s wishes come true. It’s all about caring enough to go that extra mile and that’s what we do best.
*