Changi Airport store staff helps overwhelmed mother find missing daughter with severe depression

A retail sales executive at Changi Airport's Shilla Travel was honoured with a Service Personality of the Year award on Feb. 11 for her help to a mother and daughter in distress.

Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow presented her with the award at a ceremony that highlighted staff whose efforts have enhanced passenger journey at Changi Airport.

Help and reassurance

In the early hours of Aug. 4, 2025, Pham Quyen Tran (Tracy) noticed that a woman was unwell at Terminal 3’s transit food court.

She was going through severe depression during a 14-hour layover, and her mother, who was travelling with her, was feeling overwhelmed.

Pham stepped in and paid for their meal, then brought them to a quiet area to rest.

The mother confided in her about their situation, and Pham stayed with them for a while to offer reassurance.

She later told them they could look for her at the Shilla duty-free store if they needed further help.

Less than an hour later, Pham learnt that the daughter was missing.

She helped the mother alert airport authorities and remained with her throughout the search.

The daughter was finally found near a gate in a highly distressed state.

Pham assisted in translation with the airport police and medical staff until the daughter was safely transferred to the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) for treatment.

Stayed in contact

Pham continued to show care and provide help to the mother and daughter after the incident.

Over the following weeks, while the daughter was receiving treatment in Singapore, Pham remained in contact with the mother and the assigned social worker.

They had a problem — the daughter was deemed unfit to fly, and the mother's visa-free stay was coming to an end, so they could not stay in Singapore much longer.

Pham found a way, by talking to airline partners, to arrange a new flight for the mother to leave first.

On the day of the flight, she personally escorted the mother to her departure gate to offer reassurance, then kept in touch with both the mother and daughter until they were reunited.

Apart from the Service Personality of the Year award from Changi Airport Group, Pham was also issued a written letter of commendation by IMH for her steadfast compassion, exceptional care and professionalism.

Top images from Changi Airport Group and CL/Google Maps