Jenny found! Military mom connects with 'guardian angel' who helped her during flight to RDU

A military spouse who had her hands full with a baby and a toddler on a flight to Raleigh had an unexpected "guardian angel" help her with an act of kindness.

Now, she's finally connected with the woman who helped her survive the chaos of a three-flight trip with a screaming baby, a fussing toddler, heavy luggage and clothes covered in baby spit-up.

Summer Erdel is no stranger to acting as a solo parent. She's survived back-to-back deployments while managing a household of three children and two dogs.

She says she was nervous about taking three separate planes from California to Raleigh with her two youngest children – both younger than the age of two.

Sure enough, she says, "By the third flight, my kids were fed up!"

During a layover, an "angel woman" named Jenny Martin approached her while they were waiting to board the same plane. It was nearly midnight, and everyone was exhausted.

"She let me know she was a mom of four and that she understands my frustrations and how hard it is on the kiddos," Erdel said. "She said she can help me however I needed."

Erdel didn't intend to take Jenny up on that offer – but her kids certainly did!

"We start boarding, and I'm struggling. I have a baby in one hand and my toddler in the other," she recalled. "I needed to gate-check my stroller, and nobody is helping me."

Jenny ran up to her and helped Erdel free up her hands, offering to carry the baby and help manage the stroller.

"She told me to just worry about getting myself and my toddler on the plane," Erdel said.

Erdel said the thought that'd be the last time she needed help during the flight.

"But boy was I wrong!" she said. "Since it's Southwest, we can choose our seats, so she offered to sit in front of me, so that way if my toddler kicked the seats, it'd be ok."

Of course, Erdel said her toddler began kicking the seat and screaming. Then, around halfway through the flight, her baby started crying – and a second later, the baby projectile vomited everywhere.

"My mouth, my shirt, my pants, the seat, the floor," she said. "She did it four times."

Erdel began crying, overwhelmed. Jenny didn't judge her. She just stepped in to the rescue once again. She held the baby, covered in vomit, and said, "I got the kids. You go take care of yourself."

Erdel changed clothes and cleaned herself up, and asked the flight attendants for cleaning supplies. All the while, Jenny entertained the two children, allowing Erdel to sit down in a clean row and just rest. She even offered Erdel her clean hoodie and rocked the baby into a quiet sleep.

"She held my baby and walked my baby off that flight, and got my baby into her stroller, got me to baggage claim and to my husband," recalled Erdel.

The guardian angel guided the exhausted and confused Erdel and her children safely to her waiting husband before disappearing.

"I was so distraught and traumatized that I didn't get her number so I could properly thank her over a coffee or a drink," Erdel said.

Erdel made a post on Facebook searching for this mysterious "Jenny," who helped her so much in her time of need.

"Motherhood is a sisterhood," she wrote. "I learned that tonight."

The post has started to gain traction on Facebook as other mothers, who know the struggle all-too-well-began trying to help connect the two women.

Edel and Jenny were able to see each other again on Zoom on Monday afternoon.

"I'm sorry if we overstepped or anything but we just really had to find you (laughs)," Erdel said.

"It is so good to be able to talk to you again," Jenny said.

Jenny is a mom of eight children, ranging from 10 years old to college age. She is an ESL teacher at Wake Technical Community College.

"I mean, I try to show the same kindness that people give to me and I feel like I'm surrounded by people who look out for each other," Jenny said.