Flight attendant gives emotional speech on seeing favorite teacher on flight 30 years after school

Teachers have a very significant impact on their students. Not only for teaching them academic skills but, as importantly, for the fostering of self-image and so many more unseen qualities. A great teacher can have an immeasurable impact on their students, which can last a lifetime. After we leave school, we rarely stay in touch with our teachers or have a chance to thank them later in our lives for everything they did for us. A flight attendant, however, did get that chance, a full 30 years after she had been this particular teacher's student.

In a video posted by @vancouver_kthrasher, an airline employee for WestJet, a colleague of hers, Lora Caruso, is seen getting emotional when she realizes a teacher, Miss O'Connell, who taught her more than 30 years ago, is a passenger on the flight about to take off. Caruso is overjoyed and took to the aircraft's PA system to make a very special announcement.

“Today is National Teacher’s Day,” Caruso begins her extremely emotional speech. “I’m gonna get emotional, but today I saw my teacher from 1990, Miss O’Connell, who’s here on the aircraft and who is my favorite teacher ever. And I haven’t seen here since 1990,” she said while pointing her finger at Miss O’Connell, praising her efforts while she was her teacher. “This lady made me love Shakespeare, got me to play piano... I have my master’s in piano and I can write an essay,” Caruso continued, talking highly of the teacher and crediting her skills in writing and piano to her former English and music teacher.

“Thank you Miss O’Connell, I love you!” she said emotionally. After concluding the beautiful speech, Caruso walks down the airplane aisle and goes toward her teacher's seat. She then wrapped the teacher up in a big hug. Miss O’Connell, visibly overwhelmed by the beautiful gesture by her former student, says, choking up, “You made my day today!” Caruso held her teacher’s hand, and then responded to her, saying, “You made my life.” The teacher, at a loss for words, responds with, “That’s something!”

It really is something to see such a loving bond between the two. The grown-up student finally told her teacher that she loved her very much to which Miss O’Connell replied, “I love you too.” Caruso shared pictures of the surprise union on Instagram, with the caption, "Today is National Teachers Day. Today I got to reunite with my teacher from Grades 9 -12. My English teacher who by far was my favorite teacher ever. Thank you Ms.O'Connell for being my inspiration and for teaching me to love SHAKESPEARE."

Later, in an interview with Inside Edition, Caruso said, “It was a very emotional moment at that time. We both cried a lot, and I was in complete shock when I saw her because she saved me from so much.” Caruso got very emotional describing the moment, while also showing Inside Edition pictures from her high school yearbook, pointing to Miss O'Connell's picture and saying, "That's her!"

Many commenters related to the experiences of having life-changing teachers. "This brought tears to my eyes and I’m sure made her year ❤️," user @kimbee.bauer shared. Another user @racheljlp commented, "The special bond between teachers and students surely lasts a lifetime! ❤️❤️"