When Jeannette Wood reached out to her friend Cheryl Ogle of Hey Wanna Go to plan a “Picnic in Paris” for her family, she never imagined the adventure that would soon follow.
The Wood family is one of Cheryl’s most special clients, with a unique story of love and generosity.
Jeanette Wood and her husband, Joe adopted Daniel at birth, knowing that he had Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy and would be in for several medical challenges during his lifetime. Along with adopting Daniel, the Wood family have adopted four other children, growing their family even more.
Because of the health issues Daniel (who is now four) faced, his family wanted to plan a special trip to grant his wish of having a picnic in Paris under the Eiffel Tower. Once the family learned of the possibilities, the trip quickly grew to include stops in London and Rome.
To make this little traveler’s dream come true, Cheryl partnered with one of KHM Travel Group’s Preferred Suppliers–Delta Vacations, with some help from our Delta Vacations Business Development Manager Lucretia Webb.
“When I was in Las Vegas at the home-based travel agent conference in March, I introduced myself to Lucretia Webb and mentioned this family and their upcoming travels,” Cheryl says. “I thought maybe they would give Daniel an airline pin or little toy. What ensued was beyond my wildest dreams.”
When the family arrived in Detroit for their connecting flight, Delta Vacations rolled out the red carpet with VIP treatment from start to finish. Daniel and his family were greeted at the aircraft’s door by Scott and Paul of Delta Vacations.
Scott and Paul shared that Delta Vacations had decided to name Daniel and his entire family honorary Diamond Medallion Members, designated with “Delta’s Best Diamond” lanyard cards and “Delta People Care” lanyards.
They were then invited to the Delta SkyClub where they were given a brief tour by members of the Delta Airlines team.
The wait for the flight was made extra special with activity packs for the children that Lucretia helped put together. Included in these bags were goodies, coloring books, an airplane toy, flight attendant doll, and other special gifts. Not wanting to leave the adults out, the parents also received their own packs with luggage tags, cell phone sticky wallets, and some snacks for the long flight.
Delta was proud to demonstrate the Delta Difference, and the team made themselves available for any additional requests the family had. They even arranged for Daniel and his family to take a unique tarmac ride in a Porsche!
“Truly, there is not a family more appreciative and deserving…They are loving, selfless people who never complain, only smile and move forward,” Cheryl says.
After a flight full of welcoming smiles and a few photo opportunities with the crew, the family arrived in Europe. During this vacation, they made stops in London, Rome, Paris, and Normandy.
You can read more and view photos from the family’s entire Europe trip on the Danny Boy’s Adventures blog.
“Our experience with Delta, Cheryl, and our travels were perfect in every way! There’s nothing we regret, not one disappointment, or a single mishap!” Jeanette says.
Thank you to Daniel and his family for sharing their unique story! And many thanks to Cheryl Ogle, Delta Vacations, and every person who helped make this one unforgettable adventure.
If you’re feeling inspired to help make other people’s travel dreams a reality, KHM Travel Group can provide the information and resources you need to be a successful travel agent. Fill out the form on the right side of the screen or call 888-611-1220 to gain access to our free Travel Agent Information Guide.