Man finds woman with ex-girlfriend's name to join him on free trip around the world

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Thursday, December 18, 2014
Elizabeth Gallagher, a 23-year-old student, is about to embark on an around-the-world trip all because she had the right name.
creativeContent-A Ticket Forward

Remember Jordan Axani? He was the man left with an extra ticket for an around-the-world adventure when his girlfriend broke up with him. Undeterred from taking the trip, he set out to find another woman named Elizabeth Gallagher to use his ex's ticket. Fast forward a month...Axani has found his new Elizabeth Gallagher.

"It was a paid for ticket around the world and I just want someone to use it and enjoy it," Axani told ABC station WABC in New York Wednesday.

After the story came out, 28-year-old Axani received thousands of emails, including 18 from women named Elizabeth Gallagher who held Canadian passports. Ultimately, Axani chose 23-year-old Elizabeth "Quinn" Gallagher, a student and former member of the Canadian Coast Guard.

The two will meet in New York this week to embark on their 22-day trip that includes stops in Italy, Austria, France, Thailand and India. The two will be staying in separate hotel rooms and Gallagher will be responsible for her own food and souvenirs.

In case you were wondering, Gallagher has a "serious" boyfriend.

"He understands that I've always wanted to travel so while he's not happy I'm taking off for nearly a month at Christmas with a random guy, he's smiling through it," she told The Associated Press.

Stunned by the response his story received, Axani has started a charity to help "underprivileged and at-risk" people travel.

"It got me thinking, isn't there something bigger that we can do with all this and especially with this platform and why don't we try to create some value out of this," Axani said. "We're going to be able to help so many people through this and make so many incredible dreams come true."

A Ticket Forward is accepting donations through CrowdRise.com.