Hannah Thomson, a 29-year-old from Newcastle, lost her husband Nathan when he took his own life in 2020. She now works as a TUI flight attendant and says a particular passenger boarding her plane made her realise how much her life had changed.
Struggling with grief
After Nathan's death, Hannah struggled to cope. “It was devastating, I couldn’t see a future at all,” she said. Over time, she began focusing on herself and studying part-time, before travelling solo at 27, something she had never believed she could do as someone naturally shy and introverted.
Trips to places like Morocco and Mexico helped her rediscover her confidence and independence, opening her up to new cultures and a growing sense that her life could still hold adventure and joy. But it was a TUI flight to Cancun that became the turning point.
The turning point
“I was sitting on the Dreamliner thinking how incredible it all felt and I remember asking myself, ‘why not me?’ That was the moment everything shifted,” Hannah said. She applied to become TUI cabin crew soon after, describing the process as part of rebuilding her life after loss rather than leaving the past behind.
“For the first time in a long time, I started believing there could be a positive future for me again.” Now just weeks into the role, Hannah is already travelling across Europe and beyond, with Italy among her favourite routes, where flying over the Alps has become one of her most memorable experiences.
Emotional milestones
One of the most emotional milestones came at her wings ceremony, where she brought a photo of her late husband. “Standing there in uniform, receiving my wings after everything I’d been through, was overwhelming in the best way. It felt like he was still part of that journey.”
Another unforgettable moment was her first flight, when her mum surprised her by joining as a passenger. “Seeing how happy she was after everything we’d both been through was really powerful. That’s when it truly hit me that I’d rebuilt my life into something beautiful again,” Hannah said. She marked the moment by getting a tattoo of her first flight route to Bourgas.
Inspired by cabin crew kindness
Hannah says the kindness she experienced from cabin crew during her own difficult moments inspired her to pursue the role. “They make people feel safe without even knowing what they were going through. I wanted to be that person for someone else.”
Alongside her job, Hannah shares her experience and reflections on grief on TikTok and is inspired by positive messages from people who say she has helped them take their first step. “Knowing my story has helped someone else believe in themselves makes everything I’ve been through feel worthwhile.”
With Lapland on her bucket list and new destinations every week, Hannah is embracing a life that once felt impossible, and hopes her story shows others that even the hardest life shifts can become the start of something new. Her message to others feeling stuck or unsure is simple: “Life can change in an instant. Don’t ignore the things that make you happy, even if they scare you.” She added: “I’m so grateful I had the chance to start again. Life can change in a moment, but sometimes the hardest chapters can lead you somewhere you never expected.”
