Sixth-grader Kaitlyn had just returned from a family vacation to see Phillies' new star Bryce Harper at spring training in Clearwater, Florida, when she realized she left her school library book on the plane.
“I thought they would probably have just thrown the book away,” Kaitlyn, whose parents requested NBC10 not use her last name, said about Spirit Airlines staff.
On Wednesday, Kaitlyn was called to the principal’s office. She was nervous, she said.
Her principal, Dr. Robert Salladino Jr. at Springton Lake Middle School in Media, Pennsylvania, confronted Kaitlyn, who he regards as a great student.
“I need to talk to you about your overdue library book,” Salladino said to her.
Kaitlyn immediately asked if she needed to to pay for the book, which she admitted to losing on the airplane.
To her surprise, her principal pulled out the library book, "Fast Break" by Mike Lupica, and a note written by a flight attendant from Spirit Airlines.
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“We couldn’t believe it. We just thought it was the nicest thing,” Salladino said.
The note recounted how Spirit Airlines employee Jamie Patzer found the book.
"I believe that by the time I found the book, it literally traveled thousands of miles across the country multiple times," Patzer said in the note.
Kaitlyn was shocked to see the book again.
“The look on her face was definitely priceless,” Salladino said.
The school posted pictures on social media of Kaitlyn with the book and the note from the flight attendant. One tweet said:
“REUNITED! What a kind gesture by an employee of @SpiritAirlines. One of our students left behind a library book during a recent trip. After 1000s of miles, the book arrived home today @SpringtonLakeMS. Thanks, Jamie! #KindnessMatters.”
Spirit Airlines tweeted back.
“At Spirit, we always #InvestInTheGuest. Think of all the stories this book can tell after its long journey home! We’re happy we could return it to its rightful owner.”
With some help, the school was able to contact the flight attendant. Kaitlyn and Patzer are planning to have a FaceTime call soon, she said.
Kaitlyn received the book following the school’s annual Kindness Week, a time dedicated to spreading generocity.
“We thought it was like good karma from what we were doing and somebody else payed it forward and passed along a little kindness to one of our students,” Salladino said.
If you’re wondering if Kaitlyn ever finished the book, she said, “Yes.” She most definitely read the whole thing.
