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      APEX Heart Awards Honor Bravery and Kind Deeds

      October 23, 2016  | Written by APEX Admin
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      APEX Heart Awards winners from left to right: LouAnn Alexander, Southwest Airlines; Karen Choong Shi Qi, Singapore Airlines; Alphonse Lyoura, Brussels Airport; Taylor Tippett, American Airlines.

      APEX Insight: The APEX Heart Awards recognize individuals and airlines behind everyday and extraordinary gestures that elevate the air travel experience. Here are a few recipients of gold and silver awards.

      Taylor Tippett, American Airlines Flight Attendant
      Silver

      Taylor Tippett turned a personal insecurity upside down when she scribbled a few words of motivation to herself, taped the note to a passenger window, photographed it and posted it on Instagram. The #WordsFromTheWindowSeat hashtag caught on and inspired copycats, spreading Tippett’s brand of kindness even further. “We live in a world where it’s all about the big picture stuff, and at the end of the day, that’s not really what matters. It’s how you make people feel and how well you love,” Tippett said.

      LouAnn Alexander, and Southwest Airlines crew, Flight Attendant
      Gold

      LouAnn Alexander had dedicated 34 years of her life to being a Southwest Airlines flight attendant when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, forcing her to abruptly leave her job. An impromptu “final flight” was held on her behalf, during which 95 messages of encouragement were collected from passengers – whom Alexander loved interacting with most on the job. “I don’t think she could fully take in every single gesture, but she was able to appreciate everything as a whole,” her brother said in respons. Alexander passed away on May 23, 2016.

      Alphonse Lyoura, Brussels Airport, Baggage Security Officer
      Gold

      Alphonse Lyoura, a baggage security officer at Brussels Airport, heroically remained on the scene to help seven injured people after two bombs detonated in the airport’s departures terminal on March 22, 2016. “I helped at least six or seven wounded people. We took out some bodies that were not moving. It was total panic everywhere,” Lyoura said in an interview onsite.

      Karen Choong Shi Qi, Singapore Airlines, Flight Attendant
      Silver

      Karen (Kren) Choong Shi Qi, a Singapore Airlines flight attendant, assisted a 92-year-old diabetic woman on a 12-hour flight from Singapore to Frankfurt. When the woman accidentally injected too much insulin and started shaking, Karen offered her an apple to stabilize her blood sugar. But the elderly passenger couldn’t bite into the hard fruit, so Karen cut the apple into bite-sized pieces, even offering to feed it to her.