Michaela Stone

Grew up… in a tight-knit family with her parents and brother Ben. But for Michaela, sometimes her family was too close; her mom wanted to run her life. Her mom was always giving her advice, including quoting Biblical scripture of how “all things work together for good.” That passage from Romans 8:28 was the last thing her mom said to her before she left on Flight 828, a journey that changed Michaela’s life forever.

Living… in New York without any possessions, a working phone number, an apartment, and her boyfriend. Michaela recently returned from a family vacation in Jamaica with her extended family, but half of them took a different flight back from Montego Bay to JFK. The flight hit some tough turbulence and lighting, but they arrived safely. Once she and the other 190 passengers deplaned, they were told that they all had been presumed dead because their plane had disappeared without a trace. Michaela and the other passengers haven’t aged a day, but the calendar now reads 2018 instead of 2013 when they left Jamaica. Michaela has lost everything she had before, including her mom who passed away. Thankfully, her brother Ben has let her stay with his wife and two kids.

Profession… detective at the 129th Precinct of the NYPD. Michaela’s work as a detective is a significant part of her identity, and a large contributing factor to her professional success is her ability to stay calm and collected in even the most difficult situations. She pays close attention to details and always does her best to stand up for what is right.

Interests… understanding the voices she hears in her head. Ever since she has gotten back, Michaela has been hearing mysterious callings. For example, she heard a voice to let the dogs out. She risked her job to do that, and the dogs took her to the hiding place of where two girls were being held captive. The voices are making her do her job better as a cop, but she is hesitant to tell anybody about them. She would probably end up in the psych ward.

Relationship Status… single. Before leaving for Jamaica, Michaela received a marriage proposal from her boyfriend Jared Vasquez. She wasn’t sure she was ready to get married, but she had decided after the trip she would say yes. But Jared didn’t show up to greet her when her plane landed. Michaela found out he had married her best friend Lourdes during the 5.5 years she was mysteriously away. As Michaela thought about it, that made sense: Lourdes had always told Michaela she was so lucky to have Jared as a boyfriend. At first Michaela felt betrayed by her boyfriend and best friend, but she’s trying to make peace with what happened. 

Challenge… feeling guilty for being alive. Part of her wishes we didn’t come back at all from Flight 828. She also feels guilty for the death of her friend Evie when she was younger. Michaela was behind the wheel during a bad car accident, and Evie died sitting next to her. The judge found Michaela innocent of any wrongdoing, but the death of Evie still haunts her to this day. 

Personality… focused, selfless, and complicated. Michaela sacrifices her safety every day in her job to protect New Yorkers, and she is a loving sister and daughter. Michaela has high standards for herself, and she can be hard on herself when she doesn’t do the right thing. After Flight 828, Michaela is getting a second chance to become the person she wants to be.