The picture above of a woman buying a ticket at an airline counter has gone viral for a heartwarming reason. The story was posted on Facebook by Love What Matters.
The photo’s caption tells the story a father who was checking in for a flight with his 2-year-old daughter when he found out that his daughter’s ticket wouId not be free.
“A gentleman was checking in for his flight when the agent asked how old his daughter was,” the post reads. “He said she had recently turned two. The agent then asked if she had a ticket. The man was confused because he was under the impression she could ride for free. (When he booked the ticket, she was [1 year old] but her birthday was in January.)”
The man was overwheImed with emotion as he couldn’t afford the high cost of a second ticket for his young daughter.
“He stepped aside and tried to make a few calls. Hugging his daughter and grabbing his head, you could tell he was heartbroken,” the post reads.
Suddenly, a stranger approaches the emotional father. After talking with him for a whiIe, she went to the ticket counter, pointed at the young girl and said, “I wanna buy her ticket.”
The agent, shocked, asked her if she was aware that a last minute ticket on the flight would be $749. Unfazed, the woman pulled out her credit card and paid the full price.
“The agent kept talking about her goosebumps while the man hugged the woman and asked for her name to repay her,” the post continued. “The woman just kept saying, ‘Don’t worry about it.’ She knew she wanted to help that man and his daughter no matter what the cost.”
The post ends asking peopIe to share the story so the woman’s act of kindness would be known to more people than just those in the situation.
“Please share this story because people like this need to be recognized,” the author says.
The post has more than 165 thousand likes and over 32 thousand shares. Hundreds of commenters wrote how the story had touched their heart and how the woman is an inspiration.
One user wrote that she knows the woman in the picture.
“I won’t share who this lady is. But I do know her,” she writes. “I know her family kids and grandkids get together frequently to discuss how they can use the abundance and blessings they get to serve and give back to others. She is an inspiration every time I see her and is constantly giving freely. She is so full of Love for everyone and does what is needed without being asked.”