Man praised for the warmth and generosity he showed an elderly couple on a flight home from Spain

An Irish man has shared how he was moved to tears after an emotional encounter with an elderly couple on his flight home.

Caolan Mc Aree recalled the “heartbreaking” story in a Twitter thread, where he explained he was travelling from Malaga back to Dublin, on an almost empty plane with a couple in their 70s sitting in the row across from him.

One hour into the flight he noticed how the woman seemed “agitated, shouting and trying to get out of her seat while the man was trying to calm and reassure her.”

“I was trying to mind my own business but the man caught my eye and stared at me like he needed help, so I asked him was everything OK.”

Mc Aree continued: “He shuffled across his seat and leant into my row ‘She’s got dementia’ he said, full tears in his eyes now.

“Things made more sense so I stupidly said, ‘Let me know if you need help with anything’

“After a while the woman settled and dozed off, him holding her hand.”

The men started to chat and the man appeared tearful when he explained to McAree that his wife has dementia and she has “deteriorated recently.”

In an attempt to cheer him up, Mc Aree said “we’re still on holiday” ordered two beers for them where he got to learn more about the couple.

Mc Aree added: “He told me the two of them had been going to Nerja in Spain for 30+ years, her favourite place.

“This time she was very confused for most of the trip, but he wanted to bring her one last time and said he was still glad he did.

“When the plane landed I helped them with their suitcase down the steps onto the tarmac. I put out my hand to shake it and he pulled me in and hugged me thanking me for being kind, more tears in his eyes.

“I’d been holding it in for the full flight but I lost it too and stood there crying with him.”

Mc Ardee describes “bawling behind my sunglasses” as he ran into the terminal building after he said his goodbyes to the couple and wished them luck.

“Don’t really know why I’m sharing all this but I’ve been lucky enough to never really experience dementia first hand. My heart goes out to anyone who is dealing with it now in their lives, it’s f***ing heartbreaking,” he said.

Since sharing his heartwarming story, Mc Ardee’s Twitter thread has received nearly 20,000 likes, with dozens of comments from people sending lovely messages praising the Irishman for his caring actions.