This dad’s post about a stranger’s kindness to his toddler at the airport is going viral
Taking a toddler on a long trip can be a challenge for parents, especially when the airport is involved.
Author Kevin Arementrout and his wife were recently at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, waiting for a flight to San Diego, with their 16-month-old daughter, Carter Jean.
For any parent with a little one who loves to be on the go, waiting at an airport gate can be stressful.
“I just put her down, let her walk and followed behind her but I was anxious about her touching people’s stuff — and not everyone wants a kid slamming into their knees,” Armentrout told “Good Morning America.”
While they were waiting, little Carter Jean approached a man sitting nearby.
Instead of being annoyed with the toddler, the man invited Carter Jean to sit and join him.
The stranger, a traveler named Joseph Wright, just couldn’t resist the little girl’s cuteness and energy.
Wright and Carter Jean didn’t just have a passing encounter, though.
According to a Facebook post from Armentrout, the pair spent nearly an hour together, passing the time at the airport gate.
“It just warmed my heart a little,” Wright told “Good Morning America” of the encounter. “[She] just wanted to share her food with somebody, you know? That was very touching, and it was just fascinating to see.”
“I get a kick out of young kids who are just growing and showing love,” Wright added.
What could these two strangers possibly have in common to engage in conversation for so long?
Wright allowed Carter Jean to use his tablet to draw and watch cartoons. They also talked about Snoopy.
The little girl offered to share her snacks — which any parent knows is a huge gesture for little ones!
Armentrout couldn’t get over how, in a world that seems so focused on looking at our differences as a negative thing, these two brought a touch of hope for unity.
“Watching them in that moment, I couldn’t help but think: different genders, different races, different generations and the best of friends,” he wrote in his Facebook post.
“This is the world I want for her.”
His post has gone viral with more than half a million likes, nearly 20,000 comments and almost 220,000 shares on Facebook as of this writing.
Wright praised the girl’s father for encouraging his daughter and others to connect with all people.
“What really impressed me is Kevin, the father, and his wife, allowing her to be around [people of] different races,” he said.
“It was genuine,” Wright continued. “And I am proud of Kevin and his wife for not being the same, not holding back, letting her see the world as it should be.”