Plane mechanic finds old photo of a child and a heartbreaking note from grandparents behind mirror

Families always try to make sure that their loved ones are not forgotten after death. They seek to honor them in the most special ways and that’s what two grandparents did for their late grandchild as a tribute to her love for flying.

A Frontier airline mechanic, Shaun Brown, was having a regular day and repairing a mirror in a plane when he found a picture of a girl wedged behind the glass, reports NBC News. “It touched me a little bit,” he said. It was a picture of a young girl in an airplane at an amusement park."

Cullens John, another mechanic with the airline, was also moved by the picture. “It was so real. She was all by herself behind the mirror,” he said. There was a handwritten note along with the picture. It read, “Our dear grandchild, Grace, 4.5 years old. Taken from us in 3 weeks with very rare liver cancer. (November 2014). Our little angel had always wanted to fly–so she flies with Monarch–hidden away for as long as possible. Happy travels darling Grace. You made our lives perfect for all too short a time. God bless. – Grandma and Grandad.”

The aircraft was earlier owned by a British airline called Monarch. Reportedly, the girl in the photograph is named Grace Kelly and there is a cancer charity that was founded after her in London. Flight attendants Amy “AC” Proctor and Lisa Gallegos from the airline informed the mother, Jen Kelly, that they had found a picture and note in the airline. The mother felt special to know that their 4-year-old has been flying for so many years, according to WFLA.  

“We lost Grace when she was just four years old. She never had the chance to fly in a plane. It feels so special to know that Grace’s photo has been flying for so many years and continues to do so, thanks to Frontier Airlines. We are so grateful they have tracked us down to let us know. Thank you so much to everyone who helped make this possible,” Jen said. The note along with the picture has been placed on the flight. “She literally looks like an angel and that’s what her grandparents had written in the note,” said John.

The Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust does research for childhood cancers, supports families, writes medical publications and teaches the signs and symptoms of childhood cancer because according to them “early diagnoses save lives.” The airline mentioned that the family is passionate about raising awareness about the signs and symptoms of cancer.

The plane is “Orville the Red Cardinal” and since Cardinals are often seen as a sign of a loved one who’s passed that’s watching over you, the airline said that it's “lovely that the plane ended up at F9 and was rebranded as Orville the Red Cardinal.”

They added, “Our sincerest condolences go out to Grace’s family. Thank you for letting us share her story!”