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Joy

13 strangers became stranded at an airport, so they set off on a road trip together

The unlikely friends went viral online after documenting their 10+ hour journey.

strangers road trip tiktok
@alanahsotry21/TikTok

From strangers to friends in one night.

Sometimes the greatest friendships are born out of the most unlikely circumstances.

Thanks to a canceled flight, 13 complete strangers found themselves stuck at Orlando International Airport on their way to Knoxville, Tennessee, with no way to get to their destination.

What started off as a disaster quickly turned around into an impromptu adventure, as the determined group banded together to rent a minivan and drive more than 500 miles from Orlando to Knoxville. Along the way they documented their travels, and the story was quickly picked up by news outlets like CNN, spreading like wholesome viral wildfire online.


The band of merry travelers hailed from different parts of the U.S. and Mexico, and didn’t all speak the same language. Plus each had their own reason for wanting to get to Knoxville. One college student was trying to make it back in time for her final. Another was hoping to tour her dream college with her mom and dad. A well-known farming influencer was set to deliver a keynote speech at a conference. A mother wanted to go fight for custody of her son, while another woman wanted to meet a friend to help her move. Others were just there to have fun.

Regardless of their differences, their road trip created unexpected community and a memory they won't soon forget.

Alanah Story, who was traveling with her mom, had the passengers give a quick introduction on TikTok before hitting the road, knowing that others would probably get a kick out of it.

@alanahstory21 I cant make this up. Road trip! 🚐 @The Farm Babe @StarrPuck @doerksen92 @Renee @robinwharton976 @CozumelAutentico ♬ original sound - Alanah

"If I thought that this was crazy, I knew other people might think it's crazy also," she told CNN. "And so I just figured, this is a very unique bunch of people, we're all very different. So I don't know, maybe other people would want to see it too, because things like this just don't happen on the regular."

Clearly the group had bonded by the time they stopped to fill up on gas. Alanah posted another video where each member of the group—now numbered 1 to 13—gave a lighthearted update, joking about being there for the snacks and the liquor store. Obviously the funniest quip belongs to the sole Black man in the group, who said “Y’all know I’m dyin’ first.”

@alanahstory21

♬ original sound - Alanah

Alanah’s original post had already begun blowing up online, and people were invested in the journey and looking forward to more updates. Several even commented that this story should be a Hallmark movie.

The gang finally made it to Knoxville at 8:30 a.m. the next morning, arriving early enough for no one to miss their event. Alanah posted one last video as the group said their goodbyes.

@alanahstory21 Replying to @lul.ken and thats a wrap folks! #roadtrip♬ original sound - Alanah

Number 1, the driver, said “I’m really grateful to all these guys who are here … we made our 10 a.m. appointment all because of a community that got together.”

Number 13, the keynote speaker, learned along the way that two other passengers would be attending the same conference. Those same two guys were apparently dubbed “Russian spies” by commenters, but rest assured, they are but friendly farmers.

All in all, it only took a few hours and one minivan to turn these strangers into friends, with plans to keep the friendship going. The experience, both for the group and for those who watched along, became a heartwarming reminder that humans are capable of doing great things together when we choose to connect and help one another.

"I feel like this situation for me specifically kind of restored my trust and humanity a little bit," Alanah told CNN. "There's definitely hope for people—people, they can be good. And also, if you get the opportunity to go on a crazy adventure, you should take it, because you never know what's gonna come out of it."

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