In October 2006, Mrs. Messer came to Vancouver to visit her four year old granddaughter who is terminally ill with cancer. Mrs. Messer had taken special care to purchase some special gifts for her granddaughter.

In her travels through the airport and customs, a jar broke and stained some of the clothing gifts in her luggage. Mrs. Messer arrived late in the evening and was being picked up early in the morning; therefore, she was unable to purchase replacement gifts. Alternately, she wanted to wash the clothes, but the hotel did not provide laundry services. This is where Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel’s Bellman, Barry Balce, sprang into action.

Realizing the sensitivity of the situation, and the importance of Mrs. Messer’s gifts to her granddaughter, Barry offered to take the clothing home with him and launder them himself. He returned to the hotel in the morning (on his own time) and returned the cleaned items to Mrs. Messer. Barry even managed to get the stain out of a little shirt that Mrs. Messer had made for her granddaughter. Mrs. Messer was very thankful that her granddaughter will now be able to receive the gifts.

Ruth Messer
Victoria, BC