Father Captures Heartwarming Photo of Stranger Showing Toddler Kindness at Airport
Most parents can agree that traveling with small children can quickly become a very real nightmare. One of my worst fears is a permanently delayed flight with my 2-year-old in tow. Though the process of travel is rarely fun, it becomes exponentially more difficult with little ones along.
That’s why it’s so helpful to have kind third parties willing to help out when little tempers begin to fray. Although I suspect that few of us can expect the kind of aid that a harried father received in March 2017.
According to CBS News, a passenger named Kevin Leslie watched a dad bring his daughter to the gate during check-in. His fatigue turned to horror when he discovered that his newly 2-year-old child couldn’t board the plane without a ticket.
“He was hit with emotion,” Leslie said. “He mentioned he couldn’t afford to rebook this flight or get her the ticket with such short notice.”
At that moment, another passenger stepped forward and said that she’d happily pay for the girl’s ticket. The cost? $749.
A traveler named Beth Bornstein Dunnington witnessed something almost as miraculous on Feb. 2, 2018. Posting to Facebook, she described witnessing a young, pregnant mother trying to deal with an out-of-control toddler.
“[The] toddler, who looked to be eighteen or so months old was having a total meltdown, running between the seats, kicking and screaming, then lying on the ground, refusing to board the plane,” Dunnington wrote. “A toddler who looked to be eighteen or so months old was having a total meltdown, running between the seats, kicking and screaming, then lying on the ground, refusing to board the plane.”
That was when a group of older women spontaneously encircled the mother and son. One peeled an orange for the child, another handed the mother a bottle of water, yet another handed the toddler a toy, and Dunnington sang “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” to him.
Yahoo! Lifestyle reported that a traveler named Kevin Armentrout was in the airport with his 16-month-old daughter, Carter Jean. Now a child under two is a handful no matter how competent the parent.
Fortunately, a Samsung field sales manager named Joseph Wright decided to help out. “He reached out and asked if she wanted to sit with him,” Armentrout said.
“He pulled out his tablet and showed her how to draw with it, they watched cartoons together, and she offered him snacks. This wasn’t a short little exchange.
“This was 45 minutes. Watching them in that moment, I couldn’t help but think, different genders, different races, different generations, and the best of friends.
“This is the world I want for her.” Indeed, Kevin, it sounds like a pretty great world for everyone.
“Joseph from @samsungus in Oklahoma, if this should happen to find you. Thank you for showing my daughter what kindness and compassion looks like. Continue to shine your light in the world.”
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