Anne Nizzi-Clark, 58, stood at the Delta counter in a University of Iowa sweatshirt, clutching her boarding pass. To airport staff, her casual attire and tote bag screamed “suspicious.” The retired gym teacher was trying to catch a flight to see her daughter play basketball when a security officer approached. “Ma’am, you don’t look like you belong here,” he said, citing vague protocol. Despite showing her ID and ticket, Anne was escorted out, humiliated, as staff snickered at her claim: “My daughter’s a WNBA superstar.”
Anne, a proud mother from West Des Moines, wasn’t lying. Her daughter, Caitlin Clark, is the Indiana Fever’s record-breaking rookie, known for her sharpshooting and NCAA scoring records. But at that moment, Anne sat on a curb outside the terminal, stranded. She called Caitlin, who was mid-flight to a game. “They didn’t believe me,” Anne said, voice shaky. “They laughed.”
Caitlin, 23, didn’t hesitate. After landing, she rushed to the airport, still in her team warm-up gear. Her arrival turned heads. Passengers whispered, recognizing the 6-foot guard whose face graces billboards. Caitlin marched to the security office, demanding answers. “This is my mom,” she said, her voice firm but calm. “She’s no threat.” The staff, now flustered, stammered apologies. A manager admitted the error, citing “overzealous profiling.”
Within minutes, Anne was rebooked on a first-class flight, courtesy of Delta’s embarrassed higher-ups. Caitlin hugged her mom, promising to meet her after the game. As Anne boarded, a passenger snapped a photo, posting on X: “Caitlin Clark just saved her mom from airport drama. Legend on and off the court.” The post went viral, with fans praising Caitlin’s loyalty and slamming the airport’s hasty judgment. Anne, ever humble, just smiled. “That’s my girl.”
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