@laurasellshouston Pilot announced on our flight that rhe lady who saved his life 8 years ago was on the plane. #fyp #merrychristmas #christmasmiracle #flyingfriendlyskies #houston #bonemarrow #donor #christmastime #miracles #trending #reunion #happyholidays ♬ original sound – Laura LoGiudice Texas Realtor
In 2016, at just 44 years old, United Airlines Captain David Whitson was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a rare and aggressive blood and bone marrow cancer. The odds were grim—only 29.5% of patients with AML survive five years after diagnosis. For Whitson, the outlook was even worse. After one round of chemotherapy, a doctor explained he had just a 5% chance of survival due to a genetic mutation in his cancer, which Whitson described as “really, really bad.”
Thankfully, 12 years ago, a then-18-year-old behavioral science undergrad named Allie Reimold swabbed her cheek to join the National Marrow Donor Program. Four years down the line, this would lead the young woman to being a match for Whitson, and donating healthy blood stem cells that would eventually lead to saving his life. And today, the two share a lifelong friendship. A recent video shared on TikTok beautifully captures their unique bond, showcasing their impromptu reunion on board a flight from Houston.
Reimold, now 30, with a Ph.D. and a job as a cancer prevention public health researcher at the University of California, had no details about the person she was donating to eight years ago, but was excited to help anyone she could. On December 21, 2016, doctors at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas transplanted Reimold’s bone marrow stem cells into Whitson, replacing his Type B-positive blood with her Type O-negative blood.
After the successful procedure and discovering the identity of his donor, Whitson expressed his thanks by adding Reimold to his United Airlines travel benefits, treating her like family. Then, in December 2024, after piloting a flight from Dallas to Houston, Whitson received a notification that Reimold was also in Houston, preparing to board an outbound flight. Eager to reconnect with his life-saving donor, he rushed across the airport to surprise her on the plane before she took off.
The heartwarming video shows Whitson approaching an unsuspecting Reimold for a hug before telling the other passengers, “This is the lady who saved my life.” He explains that her blood was a better match than his own brother’s and calls her a “true hero.”
Reimold and Whitson usually catch up on the anniversary of the life-saving procedure, but hadn’t seen each other in person for four years. “We both like to keep things light, we both like to joke around,” says Whitson, “and we both like to be silly with each other.” Reimold, who often texts and calls Whitson when she flies, says, “Every time I see him, he’s got a smile on his face.”
Commenting on her decision to donate her blood stem cells, Reimold adds, “I can’t believe that much time has gone by. I would still to this day absolutely do it again.”
Sources: Pilot announced on our flight that rhe lady who saved his life 8 years ago was on the plane; A pilot raced through the airport to surprise an old friend: the woman who saved his life
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