Garda praised for going above and beyond to help reunite tourist with lost phone

Irish Daily Mirror

03-07-2025

A garda member has been praised for coming to the rescue of a tourist who lost her phone containing sentimental photos of her late grandad just as she was boarding a flight back to Poland.
Aleksandra had been visiting Ireland and was returning home to Poland when she accidentally misplaced her phone at her flight's boarding gate in Dublin Airport.
The flight had already departed Dublin when the young woman realised that she had left her phone behind.
A fellow passenger came upon the phone and managed to send a text from it to Aleksandra's fiancé to say that she would hand it in to security at Dublin Airport.
However, Aleksandra didn't know where exactly the woman had handed it in, and the phone's battery eventually died before she could find out.
Aleksandra's grandfather was a very important figure in her life and had only recently passed away. Her phone contained many sentimental photographs, voice notes and videos of him which suddenly appeared lost as they were not backed up.
The Polish woman was so desperate to get these important mementos back that she flew back to Ireland in a bid to try locate the phone.
After landing back in Dublin Airport, Aleksandra first checked with airport staff, but unfortunately the phone couldn't be located.
In one last ditch effort, she came to speak with officers at the Garda Station near Terminal 1 around 4am on Tuesday morning.
Garda Grace Roddy was on overnight duty at the public desk and having heard the story, was determined to help.
Garda Roddy went 'above and beyond to assist' doing all the rounds in the airport to find it, but to no success.
Not giving up, she decided to make her way back to the gate that Aleksandra had flown out from only days previous.
That's where Garda Roddy discovered the phone tucked away out of sight in a drawer at one of the airline's desks.
The phone with all the much cherished photographs, videos and audio clips was returned to Aleksandra on what happened to be her 30th birthday.
An Garda Siochana shared the heartwarming story on their Facebook page along with an email Aleksandra had sent to Garda Roddy thanking her for her help.
'Ms. Garda Grace Roddy demonstrated genuine empathy, took the time to listen and made every effort to help me get my phone back — even though she was not obliged to do so," Aleksandra said.
"Her professionalism and willingness to act made things happen. She found my phone which I truly appreciate.
'In times when such personal commitment is rare, Ms. Garda Grace Roddy's actions deserve to be recognised.'
The Facebook post sparked a huge response on social media, with members of the public heaping praise on Garda Roddy for coming to the rescue of the Polish woman.
"That's what makes the Irish Police different from all other Police forces anywhere," one person said.
"What a wonderful happy story. That's what you could look forward to telling all your family and friends about the real good decent people of Ireland and what a very kind Gardai to go to such lengths. Well done. Total Respect," another person said.
While a third added: "What a fabulous young lady, Garda Grace Roddy is, such empathy, An Garda Siochana are very lucky to have her as are the general public. It is great that Aleksandra contacted the station to show her gratitude. human nature is sometimes that we tell more of the negative side rather than the good news."