Vietnamese woman looking for S’porean man who cared for her on Scoot flight: ‘Hope I haven’t missed my chance’

A woman is hoping to reconnect with a fellow passenger who showed her care and kindness when she felt unwell on a Scoot flight.

Stomper Mei Ling was seated next to the Singaporean man on Scoot flight TR872, which departed Singapore at 12.25pm and arrived in Taipei at 5.10pm on Oct 3. Mei Ling was in seat 26E while the mystery man was in seat 26F.

The Stomper, a Vietnamese national studying in Taiwan, said the mystery man had offered her his jacket, medicine and water after noticing her discomfort on the plane.

The encounter has stayed with her since, prompting her to share a heartfelt appeal on Stomp in hopes of reaching the “very kind stranger”.

Vietnamese woman’s heartfelt letter for a kind stranger

Here is her letter in full:

I don’t know if you still remember me, but I remember you.

About halfway through the flight, I was feeling quite uncomfortable and couldn’t fall asleep. Then, out of nowhere, the person sitting next to me gently asked, “Is everything okay?”

You noticed that I didn’t seem comfortable and you kept checking on me, asking if I was all right. You even asked if I was cold and immediately offered me your jacket.

What touched me even more was that you seemed to have a cold yourself. I noticed you sniffing repeatedly, yet you were still willing to share your jacket with me. Then you told me you had some headache medicine and offered to give me some if I needed it.

At first, I hesitated. After all, we were complete strangers. But there was something so gentle, sincere and reassuring about the way you treated me that I found myself accepting your kindness almost immediately.

You didn’t just give me the medicine. When I was wondering how I would get some water to take it with, you seemed to understand and even bought me water on the plane.

Maybe these things seemed like nothing special to you. Maybe you were simply being a decent human being, helping someone who didn’t feel well.

But to me, they meant so much more than I knew how to express at that moment.

It’s been a week since that flight and I can still remember you so clearly. Everything about the way you treated me felt so kind, so natural and so reassuring.

You were a stranger, but for a little while, you made me feel as though I wasn’t alone.

And here’s the part I’ve been regretting ever since I returned home.

I think I was so caught up in the thought that you were just a stranger I happened to meet on a flight, someone I would probably never see again, that I tried to keep my distance instead of getting to know you better.

I didn’t ask you more about yourself. I didn’t ask for your contact information. I let those last two hours pass without realising that, once the flight was over, I might never have another chance to talk to you.

And now, looking back, I wish I had done things differently. I wish I had been a little less guarded and a little more courageous.

Not because you owed me anything and not because I expected anything from you, but simply because you left such a lovely impression on me, and I regret not giving myself the chance to know the person behind that kindness.

All I know is that you’re from Singapore. I don’t know whether Taipei was your holiday destination, whether you were visiting someone or whether you have already returned home.

I don’t even know if you’ll ever come across this post.

But if you’re reading this, I hope you’ll recognise yourself.

And if you do, I’d really love to hear from you.

If you’re still in Taipei, perhaps we could meet for a coffee, and this time, I can thank you properly in person. If you’ve already left, I’d still be happy just to hear from you.

I’d love the chance to talk to you again, learn a little more about you and perhaps make up for the conversation I wish I’d had with you on that flight.

To the kind stranger in seat 26F, thank you for taking care of someone you barely knew. You probably don’t realise how much that small act of kindness has stayed with me.

Maybe nothing will come of this. Maybe we’ll remain two strangers who crossed paths for a few hours on an ordinary flight.

But I think I’d regret it even more if I never tried.

So, here’s me taking a chance I wish I’d taken on that plane.

To the guy in 26F, I hope this finds you.

And I hope I haven’t missed my chance to meet you again.

Stomper asks for help in getting the word out

Mei Ling recounted: “He initially spoke to me in English, but when he realised that my English wasn’t very good and that I could only respond in Mandarin, he switched to Mandarin and communicated with me, although his Chinese wasn’t very fluent.

“I then asked him where he was from, and that’s how I learned that he was Singaporean. Unfortunately, that is the only information I have about him.”

According to Mei Ling, the young man was in his 20s, dressed entirely in black and wore glasses. He was polite, easygoing, considerate and warm, she added.

The Stomper, who describes herself as having short and straight black hair, was clad in a black off-shoulder top, denim shorts and a light yellow Calvin Klein cap on the flight.

She is appealing for help to find the man and expresses her gratitude to anyone who can share her post.

“I’m not asking for anyone’s private information. I just hope that, somehow, this message might reach the person it’s meant for,” clarified Mei Ling, who contacted Scoot but has yet to hear back.

“Thank you again for helping me share this story. It truly means a lot to me.”

Stomp has reached out to Scoot for more info.

If you are the kind man who looked out for Mei Ling on the flight, please email stomp@sph.com.sg or WhatsApp us at 9384 3761.

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