59-year-old grandmother fulfills lifelong dream by becoming a flight attendant

@crazynana112 Dreams do come true#fyp #foru #foryoupage #famous #cabincrew ♬ original sound – crazynanna

A 59-year-old grandmother has achieved her lifelong dream of becoming a flight attendant, earning her Qantas wings after nurturing the dream for nearly four decades.

Jackie Cookson, one of the airline’s newest recruits, celebrated her graduation on Monday and is set to embark on her first flight to Los Angeles on Saturday. This remarkable achievement adds to her diverse career, which has included roles as a travel agent, a receptionist on an oncology ward, and a newspaper sales representative.

Known as “crazy nana,” Cookson chronicled her journey on TikTok, sharing her experiences from her initial interview with Qantas, through the rigorous assessments and training, to her recent graduation.

In her very first TikTok video posted in January, ahead of her first in-person interview with Qantas, Cookson acknowledged that some might consider her pursuit crazy given her age, but she was resolutely following her dreams.

Cookson revealed that she had an interview with another airline at the age of 20 but didn’t proceed with it as she got married. Reflecting on that time, she remarked, “In my eyes then, if you were married, you couldn’t be cabin crew. How silly was that?”

After securing the job, Cookson relocated from Perth to Sydney for her training, excitedly updating her followers with the announcement, “Crazy nana is going to be cabin crew, watch out!”

Fast forward four months, and Cookson stood proudly in her Qantas uniform, holding her certificate. She joyfully exclaimed, “Can you believe it? Crazy nana’s gone and bloody done it, hasn’t she? I’ve passed, today I’ve graduated. I did it.” With a message of inspiration, she added, “If I can do it, anyone else can do it. Follow your dreams. Don’t give up. Don’t be thinking ‘I’m too old’ or this or that. Look at me, I’ve got my wings.”

Originally from England and residing in Australia for around three decades, Cookson shared that as she grew older, she had started to believe that her dream might have slipped away. However, following a year of travel and a visit to her 91-year-old father in Yorkshire after the COVID-19 pandemic, she decided to pursue her dream while on holiday.

She confessed that returning to study after a lengthy hiatus had been challenging, but her unwavering dedication paid off as she proudly earned her wings. Cookson’s inaugural flight with Qantas will take her to Los Angeles. Nervous yet excited, she looks forward to her new career, saying, “I’m mostly just really excited. I love people, and I’m looking forward to working with our customers.”

Qantas noted that they’ve had recent recruits who sought career changes from professions like accountants, nurses, university professors, farmers, and police officers, and they’ve also welcomed recruits straight out of high school.