Family Takes 30-Hour Train Across Europe Due to Mom’s Intense Fear of Flying (Exclusive)
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Cecilia Hellgård Call is a full-time dental hygienist in California
The mother of five has a lifelong fear of flying and refuses to travel by plane unless she has to visit her family in Sweden
This year, she embarked on a European adventure and insisted that her husband and children travel by train with her
For one family of seven, travel looks a little different, especially when it involves airplanes.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R26ekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R46ekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframeCecilia Hellgård Call, 56, has suffered from severe aerophobia for the majority of her life and avoids flying at all costs due to intense anxiety and physical reactions.
The only exception is an annual flight to Sweden to visit her family, a trip she bravely endures out of love and commitment.
Once in Europe, however, all further travel is done strictly by train or car – including a recent 30-hour train journey – because flying simply isn’t an option.
“If there is turbulence, she almost throws up or passes out. She also gets extreme anxiety for months leading up to taking the plane. She can’t eat and can barely sleep,” Cecilia’s daughter Gemma Call tells PEOPLE exclusively.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2cekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R4cekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe“She also watches the wing the entire flight – even when it’s 11 hours," Gemma adds.
The family makes sure to reserve her a seat with a clear view of the wing, since it brings Cecilia a slight sense of reassurance. When turbulence hits, the family gently talks her through it, doing everything they can to help ease her fear in the moment.
Several of Cecilia’s family members also have a fear of flying, so she never traveled by plane growing up. In her early 20s, after meeting her husband, he convinced her to take a flight to Hawaii, but severe turbulence during the trip left a lasting impact.
Gemma Call
Cecilia Hellgård Call and her husband on a train.After becoming a mother, Cecilia’s anxiety only intensified, as the responsibility for her children's safety added to her fear.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2iekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R4iekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe“She hates when any one of my siblings flies as well,” Gemma reveals. “Although the phobia isn’t as bad because she physically doesn’t have to get on the plane, she worries and stays up. Even if it’s the middle of the night, she will sit there and track the flight details.”
Cecilia only lets the family fly with airlines she trusts – like KLM, Delta, or British Airways. Other carriers are completely off-limits.
One time, Gemma says she "jokingly mentioned" taking a budget airline and "almost gave her a heart attack."
Gemma Call
The Call family on their trip through Europe.Despite being prescribed medication to ease her anxiety, it unfortunately offered no real relief, leaving her to face each flight with the same overwhelming sense of unease.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2pekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R4pekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe“She will basically only fly to Europe to see her family and her hometown,” Gemma explains. “Anything other than that is pretty much a no-go.”
When a flight to Sweden is approaching, Cecilia often avoids thinking about it for as long as possible. In the months leading up to it, she tries to stay busy and distracted.
If anxious thoughts creep in, she focuses on the positives and sometimes even watches YouTube videos on airline safety to calm her nerves.
Gemma Call
The Call family on their trip through Europe.Given her crippling fear, the California-based family rarely even travels within the United States, except for occasional 10-hour drives to Utah to visit their oldest daughter.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2vekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R4vekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframeHowever, this June, the Call family made the brave decision to explore other parts of Europe, given that Cecilia had never traveled outside her home country.
They naturally began their journey in Sweden, then traveled by train through Denmark and Germany, which eventually led them to a small, coastal town in Spain. From there, they moved their way through the South of France, visiting Marseille, Cassis, and Èze, before heading to Cinque Terre in Italy.
After a stop in Interlaken, Switzerland, they made the long journey back to northern Sweden. It took the family four different trains, traveling a total of 30 hours, to reach their final destination.
According to Gemma, one downside of traveling by train or car is the need for meticulous planning. They also lose full days to travel, spending hours driving to places that would have been just a short flight.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R34ekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R54ekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframeAlthough flying would have been faster, she says there are definitely some benefits to traveling by land.
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Gemma Call
The Call family on their trip through Europe.“Some positives are you get to see a ton more along the way,” she explains. “For example, on the train we would stop in little towns and get lunch, explore, visit beaches and walk around. That is one thing my family loves about train travel.”
Most importantly, traveling by train allows her mom to see the world without the extra stress and anxiety.
Still, Cecilia's advice to others facing a similar fear is simple: keep flying, and over time, it may get a little easier.
Read the original article on People
