Cole Harbour woman chosen for ‘trip of a lifetime’ because of her name

DARTMOUTH, N.S. – One man’s failed relationship is turning into the “trip of a lifetime” for a Nova Scotia woman.

Back in May, Toronto’s Jordan Axani planned and bought tickets for a romantic trip around the world with his girlfriend. But he and his girlfriend, Elizabeth Gallagher, broke up before they could embark on the adventure in December.

The tickets were strictly non-transferable, so Axani set off on an online hunt for another Elizabeth Gallagher to take her place. The only catch? She needed a Canadian passport.

When Elizabeth Gallagher of Cole Harbour, N.S. heard about the opportunity, she knew she had to take advantage of it.

“It was a little bit crazy,” said the 23-year-old university student, who actually goes by her middle name, Quinn.

“Now that I’ve talked to him, he’s not as crazy as I thought he was originally,” she said with a laugh.

Gallagher and her sister tweeted a photo of her passport bearing the name “Elizabeth Gallagher” in hopes of convincing Axani to choose her. Axani later said out of the thousands of responses he received, there were 18 women who fit the criteria.

So what set this particular Gallagher apart?

“The east coast Canadian warmth was something that was certainly something great to see,” he told Global News from New York. “A very clear passion for helping others and a clear sense of awe for the world. And it was really that simple.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The east coast Canadian warmth was something that was certainly something great to see," he told Global News from New York. "A very clear passion for helping others and a clear sense of awe for the world. And it was really that simple."

The two have since chatted on the phone and by Skype in an effort to get to know each other better. Even Gallagher’s mother has vetted her new travel partner.

“My mother was worried at first. She actually did talk to Jordan with me once on Skype for a few minutes and she thought he was just wonderful,” Gallagher said.

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Gallagher will leave for New York on Dec. 21 to meet Axani in person, before taking off on a trip with stops in Milan, Prague, Paris, Bangkok and New Delhi.

She says she is most excited to see the Taj Mahal and to visit the town in Thailand where she used to work as a teacher.

“We’re probably going to be together for a part of it and then separate for a part of it,” she said. “He’s easy to talk to, so it’ll be nice to have someone to chat with while travelling when you don’t know anyone else around you.”

Both stress the trip is strictly platonic, especially considering Gallagher has a boyfriend. After hearing about their story, Marriott Hotels has even offered up two separate hotel rooms in each of the cities they visit.

“Jordan has said right from the get-go, it’s just friends,” she said. “We don’t even have to be friends. He said if I hate him, I can go do my own thing because I do have a pretty serious boyfriend and I’m happy with that. I’m not looking for anything.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Jordan has said right from the get-go, it's just friends," she said. "We don't even have to be friends. He said if I hate him, I can go do my own thing because I do have a pretty serious boyfriend and I'm happy with that. I'm not looking for anything."

Axani’s fateful trip has also spawned something greater. He received so many emails and messages from people interested in the trip, he decided to start an organization to help deserving people go on trips of their own.

A Ticket Forward will raise money through crowd-funding to help people who are otherwise unable to travel. The organization already has already chosen four candidates.

“At its most basic form, it’s taking people and giving them the opportunity to go on the trip of a lifetime with the underlying belief that travel can be transformative,” he said.