Beloved United Airlines pilot Capt. Jolanda Witvliet honored upon retirement

A beloved United Airlines pilot stationed in Chicago received a very special sendoff into retirement this weekend.

Capt. Jolanda Witvliet was honored with a water cannon salute at O'Hare International Airport on Saturday.

Born in the Netherlands, Capt. Witvliet chose her final fight from Amsterdam back to Chicago, landing Saturday afternoon. After the plane touched down, her crew told part of her incredible story.

Capt. Witvliet wanted to become a pilot after she won a writing contest. The prize was controlling a plane for a couple of minutes.

Witvliet was hooked, but the instructor told her girls couldn't be pilots. Witvliet's journey eventually brought her to a fight school in the U.S.

Her colleagues said she was "a mentor, teacher, friend, mother figure, coach, and most importantly like family."

Capt. Witvliet has been a United Airlines pilot since 1990.

Her flight on Saturday was full of friends and family who tagged along to be on her final flight.

In the U.S., pilots have to retire at 65. Witvilet's birthday in next week.