When passengers aboard Delta flight 1238 faced a lengthy delay in Atlanta, the atmosphere changed dramatically thanks to Wayne Hoey, a retired Army musician, who decided to entertain the restless crowd with his saxophone.
Hoey, who served with the U.S. Army band during the Vietnam War, played a series of Christmas carols, bringing smiles to everyone on the plane. “People were clapping, singing and cheering,” said Kate Dailey, a passenger who described the performance as “a gift to everyone during a stressful travel time.”
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Hoey’s history of lifting spirits goes back decades. After his military career, he earned a master’s degree in music education and taught middle school band. Today, he lives in Augusta, Georgia, where he performs with the Wayne Hoey Big Band and substitutes as a music teacher.
On the delayed flight, his repertoire included festive classics and a playful rendition of “Baby Shark” for the children onboard. “He played really well—and everything from memory!” Dailey noted.
The impromptu concert was a reminder of the power of music to bring people together. “Thank you, good sir, for your service—then and now,” Dailey wrote on social media, capturing the gratitude of passengers who left with their faith in humanity renewed.
