Twenty-five year-old Danielle Valimont easily earns the honor of being our GIRLFRIEND OF THE WEEK. On Friday, May 20th, Valimont boards a flight from Dallas to Atlanta. As luck would have it, 40 year-old Bryan Sisco disregarded his seat assignment and happened to be sitting in the seat next to Valimont.
“He moved his belongings which was a tall cylinder package, a book bag, laptop case and some muscle magazines out of my seat….”
According to Jalopnik, Sisco felt he the two were really hitting it off, “We were talking, sharing M&Ms, eating chocolate, having a good time.”
Valimont saw it a little differently, “I’m sitting beside a crazy man.” She posted on her blog.
Embolden by Jack Daniels, Sisco tells Valimont that he is an architect for JC Penney in Dallas as well as an air marshal. As the conversation progressed, things got weird. Here’s where Valimont earns our praise:
“Have you ever wondered if someone could get something on the plane they weren’t supposed to?” he said.
My heart dropped…
“I’m sure its possible…” I replied
“It is…”
He opened his book bag and brought out a silver metal torch-like item and put it near my leg.
He clicked a button and a 4-6 inch blue flame shot out …
I acted as if it was no big deal, though my heart was racing.
“That’s cool- what else do you have?” I said
“What else do you have?” Wow! That would not have been my first response, or my second or third even. My hands get sweaty just thinking about it. In fact, it turns out he claims to have a tazor and a cylinder of nerve gas capable of making the entire plane pass out.
Are you on the edge of your seat? I know! Valimont makes an excuse to use the restroom and types out a note on her iPhone, then hands it to the flight attendant:
“If the guy in 20D is a Marshall disregard this msg. He has a torch that he lit and showed me. And he said his canister has a gas device that will make everyone on the plane pass out if there is danger. He also has a device that says is like a tazor. I will go sit back down. Do what you need to.”
I typed it quickly and opened the door…. Thank God the flight attendant was in the jump seat.
The flight was eventually diverted and Sisco was arrested.
“I fell asleep, and woke up in handcuffs in Memphis with the FBI questioning me, Sisco told The Commercial Appeal. “I spent three days in a county jail and a fourth day in a federal penitentiary. I was stripped buck-naked twice.”
Valimont credits her cool, calm thinking to a lot of prayer.
Other passengers heard the conversation (I’m certain that Jack Daniels and a loud jet engine raises one’s voice volume), but it was Valimont who found the courage to do something, and perhaps risk everything. Even now she is being criticized by some people:
