Reserve Officer Gives Airline Miles To Illinois Boy Whose Dad Dies During Their Vacation In LA
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A reserve officer gave his airline reward miles to an Illinois boy whose father died Sunday while they were vacationing in Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Police Department said Juan Fernandez, 37, apparently died of natural causes about 12:15 p.m. Sunday.
His 13-year-old son has no relatives in L.A. and had a problem flying back home to Illinois.
"Officers contacted Southwest Airlines to reschedule the son's return flight, because he had missed his earlier flight due to his father's death and the investigation," according to an LAPD statement. "Southwest Airlines was having difficulty rescheduling the return flight."
Without hesitation, reserve officer Drew Terenzini offered his Southwest Rapid Rewards airline mileage to the teen so he could fly home to his mother, according to the LAPD.
Officers contacted the Southwest Airline Grief Unit, which assigned a flight attendant to oversee the boy's flight home.
Police also said Southwest Airlines Tuesday offered the family help with transporting Fernandez's body home.
