(CNN) — Andrea Rubakovic was stranded at London Heathrow Airport and feeling more and more panicked by the prospect.
It was early January 2010 and a sprinkling of snowfall had floor the UK capital to a halt.
Andrea’s flight residence to Toronto, Canada was canceled, as was just about each flight on the Heathrow departures board.
“Simply full system breakdown, absolute mayhem on the airport,” is how Andrea remembers Heathrow that day. As a Canadian, Andrea was baffled by the concept that the UK version of a “big blizzard” amounted to round “one millimeter of snow.”
Andrea needed to get again to Toronto to see her Serbian household in time for his or her conventional January 6 Christmas celebrations. If she did not depart the UK ASAP, she’d by no means make it, and the considered lacking the festivities was heartbreaking.
“It was actually, actually, actually necessary for me to be again residence in time,” recollects Andrea, who was in her early 20s on the time.
However the hours rolled on, and there was no signal of any flights departing that day, and Heathrow Airport’s departures space was stuffed with throngs of equally stranded, would-be fliers.
Amongst them was an American traveler referred to as Hollie Savitt, from Chicago. In January 2010, Hollie was additionally in her early 20s and was within the midst of a post-college journey around the globe.
Hollie’s flight was additionally canceled. She was milling across the departure space questioning what to do when she noticed Andrea. Hollie’s coronary heart instantly went out to the stranger, who appeared overwhelmed and exhausted.
“I see this adorably frantic, upset woman — she’s powerful, let’s not destroy her avenue cred — however she was crying,” says Hollie.
“I believe I got here as much as her and was like, ‘Are you okay?'”
In response, Andrea instructed Hollie about her canceled flight and the probably soon-to-be-missed Christmas celebrations.
“I used to be like, ‘Alright, we’ll divide and conquer. We will type this out — two heads are higher than one,'” recollects Hollie.
“Hollie was simply very, very useful,” says Andrea. “She was like, ‘We have this. Let’s get stuff completed.’ And we hit it off immediately. We turned somewhat group immediately, on this chaos round us.”
Hollie marched Andrea again to the assistance desk, they usually spent the following hour or so exploring choices — have been any flights prone to go away that day? What was the process for getting onto a flight the following day? What might the airline and airport supply within the meantime?
Andrea felt the cloud she was below raise somewhat. She was nonetheless anxious about getting residence to her household. However she trusted Hollie, who was brilliant and cheerful, even amid the chaos, and made her giggle.
As for Hollie, she empathized with Andrea’s predicament, recognizing she was emotionally spent and in want of a pleasant face and a bit of ethical assist.
“I did not need her to really feel alone,” says Hollie.
Each ladies additionally felt comfy round each other. It was arduous to clarify, however as soon as they began chatting, it was form of like they’d identified one another for years.
So when Andrea was lastly handed a coveted resort voucher by airport workers, she and Hollie determined they’d share the room for the evening.
“We each had hesitations for 30 seconds. After which it was like, ‘What’s our different choice?'” recollects Hollie.
An evening in London
Hollie, proper, and Andrea, left, took this picture after they arrived at their resort room that first night.
Hollie Savitt
Hollie and Andrea anticipated they’d be put up at a resort close to Heathrow, however it turned out the voucher was for a resort within the heart of London, close to town’s famed Tower Bridge.
Hollie reckons that because of the scale of the disruption and the variety of stranded passengers, the airport had already maxed out native inns. However regardless of the motive, when Hollie and Andrea noticed their residence for the evening, overlooking the River Thames and London’s historic skyline, the night formally turned from a catastrophe into an journey.
“We get to the resort and we’re like, ‘That is insane,'” recollects Hollie.
“It was the sweetest pad,” says Andrea. “It was fairly unreal for us in our early 20s staying in a resort that good.”
After they’d checked in, they met a number of different stranded vacationers, and agreed to all be part of forces the following morning to recommence the search to get booked on a aircraft.
However within the meantime, Hollie and Andrea frolicked collectively, taking advantage of the surprising state of affairs. After they arrived of their room, the 2 ladies, giddy and gleeful, took a selfie within the room’s mirror. Within the picture, they’re each wrapped up in large coats towards the frosty London chill, pulling faces to point “By some means I am stranded in a swanky resort room with a stranger. By some means it is really form of enjoyable.”
That evening, they stayed up into the early hours of the morning speaking and sharing tales.
“We touched upon all the things,” says Andrea of these conversations.
They realized, Andrea recollects, that they each shared “related core values of household and pals and schooling.”
And each Hollie and Andrea love touring — at the very least they often love touring, when flights aren’t canceled.
Andrea and Hollie have been additionally on the identical wavelength, making one another giggle and bonding regardless of the weird circumstances. Andrea says they each share a “tremendous outgoing, tremendous enjoyable, ‘get stuff completed’ mindset.”
“It was actually enjoyable,” she says of the night. “Though it was actually aggravating. It was one of many extra memorable nights of touring ever.
“Instantly we have been planning of — ‘When are we going to satisfy up once more?'”
“That was the good,” says Hollie.
Andrea and Hollie took this picture at London Heathrow Airport in January 2010 on their second day of making an attempt to get on a flight.
Hollie Savitt
Again on the airport the following day, Hollie, Andrea and their fellow stranded vacationers set about making an attempt to get onto new flights.
“We have been all on a mission to get Andrea residence for Serbian Christmas,” says Hollie. “Everybody on the airport was form of working collectively. If one particular person obtained by means of on their cellphone, they’d cross it again in line in order that the customer support agent would simply assist everybody in line.”
This all-hands-on-deck strategy paid off and Andrea was among the many first to get a brand new ticket.
Earlier than Andrea rushed to her gate, she swapped Fb particulars with Hollie. The 2 ladies deliberate to remain in contact.
“Each of us have been fairly adventurous, actually open to touring, so I believe we had already made plans to see one another within the close to future,” says Andrea. “So it wasn’t a goodbye, it was an ‘I am going to see you in a bit.'”
Enduring friendship
Hollie visited Andrea in Toronto not lengthy after they met at Heathrow airport.
Hollie Savitt
Andrea made it again simply in time for her household Christmas celebrations. In the meantime, Hollie made it onto a flight to the US, earlier than persevering with her travels.
The 2 began usually messaging backwards and forwards, plotting future travels collectively — possibly they’d meet in Istanbul, Turkey? Made they’d hang around again within the US?
In the long run, Hollie visited Andrea in Toronto that summer time 2010.
“Hollie met all my pals, and we had a blast,” recollects Andrea. “After which I went to Chicago after that.”
“It was nice,” says Hollie. “We took turns to go to for ages.”
It was rapidly clear that the evening stranded in snowy London had fast-tracked their friendship. After they met up in Toronto, it wasn’t like reuniting with a stranger — seeing each other once more felt like seeing an outdated good friend.
“You meet somebody touring, they see you as your most genuine self,” says Hollie. “You are in such a weak/genuine state that when somebody really is let in at that state, lots of occasions they know me higher than folks I’ve identified for a very long time.”
Here is Andrea and Hollie on a night out in 2018.
Hollie Savitt
Each Andrea and Hollie have nice recollections of these early visits. One time Andrea was with Hollie within the US for the Fourth of July vacation.
“We went to her good friend’s home for a barbecue. They have been taking part in a lot nation music, which I by no means would have anticipated to love, however it actually obtained below my pores and skin, and it gave me such heat, fuzzy emotions, and I take heed to it to at the present time,” says Andrea.
On one other event, Hollie visited Andrea for New Yr’s Eve.
Andrea needed Hollie to have a good time, for the 2 of them to exit in Toronto and ring within the new 12 months in type. However when it got here to it, Andrea wasn’t feeling as much as it.
“I simply want to sit back,” she admitted.
“Dude, it is okay. I got here to see you,” Hollie stated in response.
“We frolicked on the sofa and talked about completely all the things and supported one another and simply had a stunning time. That was actually memorable for me, and that basically meant rather a lot,” says Andrea.
Pals for all times
Hollie visited Andrea in London in 2022 and the 2 pals took this picture whereas chilling on the sofa.
Hollie Savitt
Some 13 years after they met at Heathrow, Hollie and Andrea are nearer than ever.
Hollie lately visited Andrea in London, the place she now lives along with her husband and two kids.
“You all the time made me really feel like I used to be one among your crew, perpetually,” says Hollie to Andrea.
“You’re,” says Andrea in response. “Hollie’s like a rock, she’s very strong. Something I would like emotionally, she’s there.”
Nonetheless, when Andrea obtained married and had kids, Hollie, though delighted for her good friend, did marvel if their relationship would change.
“I used to be nervous,” says Hollie.
However her fears by no means materialized.
“I believe we really obtained nearer since that time,” says Andrea. “Considerably nearer, as a result of issues simply turned extra actual. And we’re there for one another.”
This was very true in the course of the pandemic. Andrea was within the UK along with her younger household and unable to go to family members overseas. By all of the ups and downs, Hollie supported and lifted her up from afar.
Hollie says the assist was all the time reciprocated.
“She’s such a cheerleader,” she says of Andrea. “Once I’m down and he or she shakes me somewhat bit again to myself, as a result of we’re actually related and he or she is aware of me rather well.”
Final 12 months, when post-pandemic journey restrictions lastly allowed, Hollie got here to London to go to Andrea and meet her kids. Andrea says this “meant rather a lot.”
“It meant rather a lot to me too,” says Hollie, including how particular it was to be launched to Andrea’s kids.
“That is the last word praise of being welcomed into your loved ones,” she says.
Plus, Andrea’s daughter completely beloved Hollie.
“They turned greatest pals,” says Andrea. “Hol purchased her this bunny, this stuffed animal, and he or she nonetheless sleeps with it.”
After they’re not collectively, Andrea and Hollie message usually backwards and forwards. Their conversations vary from the deep and significant, to the “silliest issues,” as Hollie places it. Typically the dialog lapses for some time, however they each know they’re there for every from afar.
Here is Hollie assembly Andrea’s household in London in 2022.
Hollie Savitt
At the moment, Hollie and Andrea are plotting future adventures. Hollie says she’d like to journey to Serbia with Andrea, and hopes that is likely to be on the horizon this summer time.
The 2 pals have additionally all the time joked that they need to return to the swanky Tower Bridge resort the place it started. However now that Andrea lives in London, she’s beginning to marvel if the resort wasn’t fairly as fancy as they keep in mind.
She lately discovered herself within the Tower Bridge space along with her household and determined to attempt to search out the resort. As they walked round, Andrea relayed the story of how she and Hollie met — although it is one her husband and youngsters now know in addition to she does.
Ultimately, the household stumbled throughout what Andrea figured should have been the resort. All of them surveyed it for a second. It did not fairly dwell as much as Andrea’s reminiscence.
“In my head, it was the nicest, grandest, poshest resort,” says Andrea. “Now taking a look at it, it appeared form of decrepit, it did not look that good. Or possibly I simply could not discover it.”
Perhaps it is higher to not know, she admits, and go away the resort reminiscence untarnished.
Years of friendship later, Andrea and Hollie have lengthy stopped introducing each other as their “good friend I met after I was stranded on the airport.” The recollections they’ve made collectively since have considerably overtaken their origin story.
Plus, they now see each other as greatest pals for all times, so it is to surreal to assume they solely met due to an surprising sprinkling of snow.
“I knew I might met any individual enjoyable,” says Andrea, trying again on that night. “Someone cool, that we might see one another once more, we might hold.”
However she by no means would have predicted “it really turning into a core, significant friendship that you simply really depend on, that is supportive.”
“There can be a void with out you, for certain,” says Hollie, who sees their airport assembly as “life-changing.”
“It was meant to be,” says Andrea.
