Travis Hunter is a football phenom — a reigning Heisman winner and second overall pick — thanks to his rare two-way talent on the field. But recently, it wasn’t his athletic ability that caught people’s attention. Instead, it was a glimpse of his character off the field — a moment of humility shown to a kind elderly woman on a plane. It was the kind of gesture that reminded everyone just how admirable this young man truly is.
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Sandy Combs, a traveling nurse, had unknowingly found herself seated next to the former Colorado Buffaloes star on a recent flight from Denver to Jacksonville. But what began as a routine trip quickly turned into something far more memorable.
In her recent appearance on ESPN’s Good Morning Football, Combs recounted the encounter that turned her into one of Hunter’s newest, and biggest, fans. And heartwarmingly enough, it was all because of his kindness.
“Once I boarded, I found my seat, and I [told Hunter], ‘Excuse me, that’s my seat.’ And he said, ‘Okay,’ and stood up. I started to put my bag in the overhead compartment, and he said, ‘I got that, ma’am. Go ahead and sit down,'” Combs recalled.
That level of courtesy continued throughout the flight. From helping her with her luggage to assisting her with her meal tray, Hunter’s attentiveness stood out.
“I said, ‘You didn’t know when you sat next to me, you were going to have to go to work,’” Combs joked. “He said, ‘It’s all right. I have grandparents. I take care of them all the time.’”
And it was that one heartfelt, simple, and sincere line that left Combs utterly charmed and in awe. “When he said that, it just melted my heart,” she told the GMF hosts. “He got me. I’m like, oh man, this is such a nice young man.”
Sandy Combs went viral for her post about sitting next to @TravisHunterJr on a flight
She joins the show to recount her experience with the @Jaguars top pick pic.twitter.com/fpedAH0bo0
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) May 13, 2025
Hilariously enough, Combs was initially unaware of who she was sitting next to until other passengers began congratulating Travis Hunter. After a brief conversation, the Jaguars rookie introduced himself. Still unaware of his fame, she snapped a selfie to share with her sons, and their response told her everything she needed to know.
“My son immediately said, ‘Mama, how do you sit next to Travis Hunter?’” she recalled, laughing. “And I said, ‘I’m in first class.’”
But it wasn’t just the celebrity status of Hunter that left an impression.
“He’s so humble and down-to-earth — I would have never guessed he was a professional athlete,” Combs continued. “Anybody would be proud of him to be their son or grandson. I told him, ‘Don’t you ever change.’ And he said, ‘I never forget where I came from.’”
That short flight turned into a lifelong memory for Sandy Combs — one that didn’t center on touchdowns or trophies, but on the kind of character that truly makes someone great. And as Mrs Combs aptly put it, “JACKSONVILLE JAGS, you did good. I will be buying tickets.”
