One mom finally faced her fear of flying, and all it took was for her daughter to be the pilot. Sophia Gehlhar opened up about taking her mom on the flight to face her fears.
"I remember feeling this mix of focus and excitement," Gehlhar tells PEOPLE. "I knew that I've been through so much training for this moment, so I was confident in my skills, and I just wanted to give my mom a smooth landing to ease any nerves she had."
Pilot and Her Mom
"As soon as the wheels touched down, I felt proud, a little emotional, and just really grateful to have my mom there with me," she says. Gehlhar has been a pilot for nearly three years. She says that she always dreamed of the day that she took her mom on a trip through the clouds.
"I think it felt so significant because I started flying two and a half years ago, and ever since then, I've imagined what it would be like to have my mom there with me," she explains. "She's supported me through everything, so being able to finally share that moment with her felt like years of anticipation and hard work all coming together."
"For her to sit next to me in that moment, I knew she was putting her full trust in me, and that meant everything," Gehlhar says. "I was actually nervous to share it at first, because I know how people online can sometimes be. But what really amazed me was that I didn't see a single negative comment."
