Bruce Gamble had quite an adventure with Delta Airlines. For years, he worked as a consultant for car dealerships, frequently traveling to Birmingham, Alabama. It’s surreal, really, how a simple connection—like the one he built with part-time employee Jill Hickey—could turn into something so life-changing.
Gamble has faced several health challenges over the years, but in 2022, it hit him hard: at 74, he was in a serious predicament. He was on the hunt for a kidney; one that seemed almost out of reach. The transplant wait time was daunting—three to five years, which felt like an eternity, especially knowing he might not be able to safely undergo surgery at his age.
Desperate, he took matters into his own hands. He recalls the pivotal moment: someone simply asked him how he was doing, and he answered honestly, “I’m fine except I need to find a kidney donor.” It wasn’t straightforward, though. Finding a match was challenging until Hickey stepped in.
Initially hesitant, Hickey eventually agreed to get tested. And, can you believe it? She was a match! The two underwent surgery in Birmingham in December 2024, and Gamble couldn’t contain his emotions when he got the call that Hickey’s match was confirmed. “I was speechless,” he said.
What started as a chance interaction blossomed into a close bond. “We were strangers at first, but now we’re like family,” Hickey reflected.
This isn’t the only uplifting story of a traveler helping another. There was also the case of a doctor’s assistant, Emily Haley, who intervened mid-flight to save Dr. Jaclyn Lacela during a medical emergency on an American Airlines flight. Using a defibrillator, she helped stabilize Lacela’s heartbeat. The doctor later described the situation as intensely painful but ultimately life-saving.
“God placed her there for a reason,” Lacela remarked. It’s incredible how many lives can change through small acts of kindness, isn’t it?
