Jenny Marrs Opens Up About the Intense Experience That Led to Her Severe Flight Anxiety
Jenny Marrs is opening up about her history with flight anxiety. The Fixer to Fabulous star recently revealed that she hasn't always feared flying, detailing scary experiences she's had and how she's determined to not let her worries prevent her from traveling.
On Instagram, Marrs wrote a lengthy post after taking a flight for a work trip. Before that plane trip, she had been anxious all morning. She wrote, "We sent a photo to the kids after we settled into our seats. I took deep breaths as the plane took off. I even snapped a photo of the beauty of our lakes as we flew over. But, I was anxious. I could feel my heart racing and my breath quickening."
She went on to give insight into her past, confirming that she hasn't always had flight anxiety. In fact, her first post-college job involved flying every few days, and she continued to fly often throughout her 20s. She explained: "Then, I had a few scary things happen and I started having nightmares about flying. I had my first full-blown panic attack over the sea as we flew to Congo for the first time to visit Sylvie. When we landed, it was nighttime. We were greeted by machine guns and our luggage was ransacked by armed guards. They took the supplies we had brought for the orphanage. From that point on, I was afraid of landing at night in a new place."
About an hour into her recent flight, she had a gut feeling that the plane was too low. She continued: "When the captain’s voice came on the loudspeaker, I panicked. I couldn’t hear what he said. The ringing in my ears was too loud. My breathing too shallow. There was something wrong with the plane. My brain immediately went back to that emergency landing in Houston in 2006. I looked to Dave. He calmly explained what was happening. We were turning around and burning fuel in order to land back at our airport. I texted my prayer warrior friends. My fingers were cramping from the panic. I prayed aloud and shook uncontrollably."
They landed safely. Since their trip was canceled, they were able to enjoy an unexpected evening at home. They walked through their berry fields with their kids and her husband's parents and enjoyed other magical moments, including building a fort. "Each step I took, I breathed out gratitude," Marrs added. "I found myself shaking at random times throughout the day, my body still reeling from the fear."
Marrs's caption continued into the comments of her post, ending on an uplifting note. She wrote, "I don’t know why I’m sharing this today. I only know that my faith is not diminished by my fear. I will continue to battle this unseen enemy of fear. I will continue to travel and go and see and seek adventure even if fear wants me to hide and play it safe."
She pointed out that maybe someone else out there needed to hear her experience and "know that fear isn’t something to be ashamed of." She added, "Maybe someone else needs to know that God sees you and holds you and loves you even if you are doing the brave thing so very scared."
To end her message, Marrs thanked her friends, family, and followers for their prayers. "So many of you saw my story and prayed faithfully," she wrote. "I love this little community we have created and am thankful for you all!"
Back in April, Marrs explained why she loves to travel despite her flight anxiety. At the time, she explained her method for getting through it, and fans flooded her comments section with messages of support.
In the caption tied to a video of her kids dancing in the streets during a vacation, Marrs wrote: "This sweet moment from last year popped up on my phone's memories this morning and it’s a perfectly timed reminder of WHY we travel. Sharing a meal with dear friends who live across the sea and watching our girls dance in ancient streets is a pretty great reason to go 🫶🤍."
She continued, "Dave and I fly back tomorrow for work and I've been so anxious about the flight that this video was exactly what my heart needed today. No matter the circumstance, we always say 'remember the WHY' and this precious memory is an unmistakable reminder."
Fans showed their support for the HGTV star in the comments, with many sharing the same struggle. One commenter wrote, "I too have travel anxiety but the WHY is seeing my children and grandchildren scattered across the country! Totally worth it! Wishing you happy and safe travels!!🙏🏼❤️😘"
Others simply gave well wishes and shared why they believe traveling is so important. "I pray that not only are your flights safe and uneventful, but that God takes your anxieties away and you are able to actually enjoy the experience," one commenter wrote.
Another added, "My mother told me a looooooong time ago. No one EVER said at the end of their life 'I spent too much time with my kids…. I traveled too much.' Two true joys in life. But I’m with you… hate the flights. Safe travels."
It's never easy to overcome fear, but the rewards are often great. It certainly helps that Marrs has her family and fans around to cheer her on!
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