A world paying our respect in beautiful ways

In great tragedy we see amazing things.  When the world came apart in September 11 it brought a lot of people closer.  And this week, the as the bodies of those so sadly lost in flight MH17 were recovered, we saw several things that made me stop and pay a little internal thanks for the world’s grace at people’s pain.

The first was the arrival of the bodies into The Netherlands where each of the 40 Dutch people’s bodies were collected individually in 40 hearses and then processed to the applause to onlookers.

It was a touching scene, and one which we can’t help but be moved by.

#452608490 / gettyimages.com

The next moment came in the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games when the Malaysian Delegation was led out by people dressed in Malaysian Airlines uniforms. To me, at a time when this airline is no doubt under incredible commercial and brand affecting strain, this is the ultimate signal from the Malaysian Government of the unity with the business and the people who both work in it and rely upon it to travel.

This is a touching and emotional signal this was to the world that the Malaysians don’t want us to see their airline as the cause of these two recent tragedies.

And this week, QANTAS has stepped up to the plate when it didn’t have to, providing mercy flights to the grieving relatives of three children and their grandfather killed in the MH17 disaster, flying them to Perth to be with their family.

The Victorian-based sister and niece of Nick Norris – who died alongside Mo, 12, Evie, 10, and Otis, 8, when their plane was shot out of the sky in Ukraine – were sadly refused financial help by Malaysia Airlines. Qantas offered to pay their way to Perth so they could support their relatives, including parents Anthony Maslin and Rin Norris, who said to the media that they were living “in a hell beyond hell”.

It is lovely to see that the world steps up to help, respect and support people at a time of need. Share your thoughts.