Readers share stories of the unsung heroes of travel

— -- US Airways captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger became famous after keeping passengers safe in that nightmare plunge into the Hudson River in January. But what about the travel industry employees who don't make headlines? In an era when trips can be impersonal and frustrating, USA TODAY's Kitty Bean Yancey asked readers to share tales of Good Samaritan staffers who go beyond the call of duty. Here are their stories:

Circle of trust

I was swimming laps at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Fla., and lost my wedding ring, which I'd had for 37 years. Here are excerpts from a letter I wrote to the Ritz:

"I took off my wedding ring, because it tends to slip when I'm swimming. I laid it on the ground next to my bag. When I finished, I picked up my bag and left my ring behind. I didn't realize I had done this until late that evening.

"This morning, I went to swim and as (attendant) Dwaine Brown walked toward me, I asked if he happened to have found a gold wedding ring. 'I certainly did,' he said, as he reached into his pocket. 'I knew it was yours.' … Thank you and congratulations on hiring this excellent young man."

— Gareth Caldbeck, Naples, Fla.

Hotel feels like home

I spent 42 weeks on the road last year as vice president of customer experience for Time Warner Cable. To me, the "unsung heroes" of travel are the people who make my hotel stays as much like home as they can.

At the Stamford, Conn., Marriott Hotel & Spa coffee shop, it's Lily Rulli, who greets me every morning with a cheerful, "Hi, dearie!" and asks me how my family is, how my holidays were. Or Nancy, Omar and Rafael, who drive the shuttle and see me stepping off the elevator and rush to grab my luggage. All of them can see when I've had a hard day and am dog-tired and envelop me in extra special care.

Through the years, we've shared family stories, asked each other for advice and lamented over life's struggles.

These unsung heroes rarely make over minimum wage, live on tips, may support families in far-away countries, and are the first to have their hours reduced when hotel revenues decline. They struggle to make their mortgage payments. They may work two or three jobs just to keep their heads above water.

Yet they greet me with a smile, call me by name and do whatever they can to make my travel day a bit easier.

— Kathleen Cattrall, Rochester, N.Y.

Airline angel earns wings

Very late on June 6, 2007, I received the call no one wants to get. My mom had suffered a serious stroke in Fort Myers, Fla., and I needed to get there as fast as I could.