She spent her childhood flying with her mom. Years later, she flew her as captain and honored her midair

Few moments in life match the pride of watching your child grow into someone you can look up to. Whether it’s a milestone in their career or the moment they begin shouldering responsibility, it reshapes what it means to be a parent. A video shared by Brittany on her TikTok page @brittanygallarneau showed us one such moment, where she flew her mother for the first time since she became a Captain.

Just before takeoff on a routine American Eagle flight to Toronto, the pilot delivered her standard welcome message, announcing, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard American Eagle Flight. Our flight time is going to be 1 hour and 10 minutes at an altitude of 29,000 feet… expecting a mostly smooth ride over." She continued, "That being said, we have THREE of the best flight attendants in the back. Perla up front, Taysha in the back, and one flight attendant who has not worked for us in the past 26 years."

After a beat, she continued, "She’s seated here in the 1A… but it’s my mom. It’s my first time getting to fly her as a Captain, so today is a special flight." The pilot continued, "I grew up in the back of these planes when I was just a baby, and she was taking me all over. So it means a lot to get to take her — and you all — to Toronto today." The announcement drew a visible reaction from passengers, including her colleague who could be heard saying, "Awe, that was so sweet." At the end of the video, Brittany added a photo of herself with her mom on the flight and wrote, "I wouldn't be here without you, mom. I love you." It was a brief announcement, but it captured a moment every parent hopes to see. What makes it more special is that she is following in her mother's footsteps, thereby validating how her mother chose to raise her.

A recent study supports just how emotionally powerful these moments can be. Researchers from the University of Rochester found that feelings of pride and awe toward one’s children significantly boost parental well-being, life satisfaction, and emotional connection. The study, involving nearly 900 parents, showed that while pride was valuable, awe had a deeper impact, slowing time, strengthening purpose, and creating a richer sense of meaning in the parent-child bond. The heartfelt tribute resonated widely on TikTok, and people were touched by such a full-circle moment. @stevenplaysbone wrote, "The only person I trust more to get me somewhere safely than myself is a pilot flying her mom."

@skantro101 commented, "Aviation families always make me cry. I remember seeing a United pilot make his retirement flight with his son as the first officer." @omg_jess noted, "I always get so excited seeing women as pilots in the airport. I want to high 5 them but don’t want to be insane." @alexbtbh added, "Women pilots, I love it so much. There was a point in my life when I wanted to be a pilot and felt like I couldn’t because I never saw female pilots. Silly, but I’m glad there’s more now." @stede1718 shared, "As a ramp agent who’s currently watching my 13-year-old learn to fly, this video hits hard!" @59tele wrote, "Grown man here. It’s 8:00 on a Sunday morning. Why am I chopping onions?" @kyleeebravo commented, "I’m crying, I love this and I love seeing a woman pilot!!!!"

You can follow Brittany (@brittanygallarneau) on TikTok for more vlog-style content.