The Instagram account Jaeseo Papercraft has built a following of more than 400,000 people with a truly novel concept: Making hyperrealistic paper model airplanes and gifting them to the pilots of those aircraft. However, when the account’s creator Josh approached an American Airlines pilot with his latest model, it turned into an unexpectedly powerful and emotional moment.
The video began as most do: Josh politely approached a pilot leaning against a pillar, confirmed he worked for American Airlines, and asked which airplane he flew.
A moment of recognition
“I fly the 737,” said the pilot, before adding, “There’s no way this is happening.”
Momentarily confused, Josh continued his spiel, explaining, “I make paper models of airplanes…” But that was all he could get out before the pilot, clearly unable to contain his excitement, interrupted him.
“I swear I could not sleep last night, and I pulled up one of your videos,” said the pilot. “You know, scrolling through, and your stuff comes up all the time; I was just watching you last night.”
“Wait, are you being serious right now?”
The pilot then recalled the video as best he could: a moment when Josh met two pilots and “felt bad” that he couldn’t give a model plane to both. Luckily, Josh later met up with the other pilot to give him one, and all was well.
Always nice to meet a fan
“Oh wow, I’m so honored,” Josh said, happy to meet someone who genuinely appreciated his work. Then, spotting the paper bag in Josh’s hand, the pilot gleefully asked, “Is that a 737?”
Indeed, it was a 737. “Can I give it to you?” asked Josh.
Thrilled, the pilot threw his head back, exclaiming, “Oh my God! Yes! Yeah, absolutely!”
As Josh grabbed a cardboard box from his bag, a random passerby also recognized him as the “dude who makes paper airplanes.”
“Yeah, I’m about to give him one, actually,” Josh told the stranger, who gave him a friendly fist bump and told the pilot to enjoy the paper airplane.
Like a kid on Christmas morning, the pilot examined his new treasure, noting that it was much “more rigid” and sturdier than one would expect for a paper plane.
Perhaps it was fate
He then told Josh that, just the night before, while watching his videos, he thought that their meeting “could happen anytime.”
“What are the chances?” quipped Josh. Then the pilot shared that his new prized possession “is going right in the living room. I don’t care, I’m gonna be the pilot with the plane in the living room. It’s totally okay.”
The two shake hands, the pilot gives his name (Stu), and the world’s most wholesome airport exchange concludes.
Viewers react
Aside from a few jokes about Stu’s sleep quality the night before (don’t worry, he “slept plenty”), most of us felt palpable second-hand joy as these two geeked out over one another, as evidenced in the comments:
“God works in mysterious ways my guy! Dude needed that model plane.”
“I love people that love what they love”
“This is the sweetest reaction. I’m so glad that the plane went to him!”
“You brought him so much joy i love it 🔥🙌”
“I was grinning from ear to ear the entire time 🥹🥹❤️”
“The way he started smiling when he asked what plane he flies 👏🔥”
“He manifested that for sure 🔥🔥”
Whether you believe in fate or think this meeting was the best coincidence ever, there’s so much to love here.
Follow Jaeseo Papercraft on Instagram for more sweet interactions like this.
