What was supposed to be the start of a magical Make-A-Wish trip reportedly turned into a shocking confrontation — all because of a misunderstanding at an airport baggage claim.
According to the mom involved, Hilary Swank lashed out at her at a Los Angeles airport after mistakenly believing she was trying to secretly snap a photo.
Jada Bafus, a mother from Spokane, Washington, was traveling with her two young sons — both of whom are terminally ill — on a once-in-a-lifetime Make-A-Wish trip to Disneyland when the tense moment unfolded.
Bafus said she pulled out her phone at baggage claim to call her husband when the Oscar-winning actress suddenly snapped, allegedly hissing, “I hope you enjoy that picture,” before storming off.
The mom says she was stunned — and even more shaken when she realized who had just confronted her.
“I’m a fan of her movies,” Bafus said, explaining she immediately told Swank she wasn’t taking a photo at all. “I was just calling my husband.”
Despite the explanation, Swank reportedly walked away, leaving Bafus rattled at what should have been a joyful moment for her family.
The timing made the encounter especially painful. Bafus’ 7-year-old son Mason had been granted the Disney trip through Make-A-Wish, while his 4-year-old brother Jack joined him. Both boys suffer from Duchenne muscular dystrophy — a rare, incurable disease that causes progressive muscle weakness and significantly shortens life expectancy.
“It was just the wrong place at the wrong time,” Bafus later said, choosing forgiveness. “She was probably having a bad day. It hurt my feelings, especially because this was the beginning of something really special for my son.”
Days later, the story took a surprising turn.
Bafus revealed that Swank reached out privately on Instagram to apologize, explaining she had panicked out of fear someone was trying to photograph her young twins. The actress has never publicly shared images of her children and is said to be extremely protective.
Swank and her husband, Philip Schneider, welcomed twins Ohm and Aya in 2023.
In the end, Bafus said the airport blowup didn’t ruin the trip — thanks largely to Disney and Make-A-Wish staff, who treated her family like VIPs throughout their visit.
“Cast members would just find us and escort us straight onto rides,” she said. “They made the kids feel so special.”
What began as a shocking celebrity clash ultimately gave way to magic, memories, and a trip the family says they’ll never forget.
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WHY do people think Actors are special? ALL they have is a different job than you!