A widower makes a lengthy journey to pick up his infant, but he is denied access to the plane when he attempts to bring the child home.
Bob Hollis was running late. The 40-year-old had just received a call from a Florida hospital telling him a girl had just been born and he was listed as the father.
He would have discounted it as a prank, but he knew his wife was in Florida for a short holiday he organized for her while he renovated their home — it was a surprise.
The two had no kids of their own and had adopted three because adoption was something they both wanted to be involved in, so they needed to add more rooms to their house, which was why he was renovating.
Bob was more picky about getting a foster child than the other one because he was one himself and had vowed as a child to take in as many as he could.
During their conversation, he said to his wife, “I feel like I have made a significant difference if I can assist those kids grow up to be the best of themselves.”
Bob was also father to two grown kids whom he conceived while he was with his former wife, Ellen. The two went their separate ways after the woman decided to cheat with their pool boy, and she was caught.
He met his second wife, Mary, two years later, and after courting for several months, they got married. They looked into adoption after their unsuccessful attempt at childbearing, but they never gave up on having children.
Their perseverance eventually paid off, and Mary became pregnant. It was in preparation of the baby’s arrival that Bob decided to expand the house to accommodate a nursery and an extra room.
Once he made up his mind, he booked Mary, who was expecting in two months, on a plane to Florida, a destination she had always desired. However, as soon as she got to Florida, the woman went into labor and was taken to the hospital.
Sadly, she passed away during childbirth, so Bob was informed that since the child was still a baby, they had to take off right away. To pick up her daughter, he packed his bags and took a plane to Florida.
When his plane landed, he rented a car and made his way to the hospital, where his wife had allegedly passed away.
The news of her death still ate at him, but he knew there would be time to grieve later, so he focused on bringing home their only child together.
When he arrived at the hospital, he met with the volunteer at the intensive care unit, a woman who was 82 years old and recently widowed.
Her name was Mrs. Sticks, and she had things to tell Bob. “What happened?” he asked her as soon as he entered her office.
“Have a seat Mr. Hollis,” she said calmly.
“I’m better off standing, he replied.
“I’m sorry for your loss Mr. Hollis, but your wife suffered some complications giving birth to your child.”
At that point, Bob sobbed violently, and Mrs. Sticks chose to watch him in silence. She cleared her throat and spoke after a few minutes.
Mrs. Sticks stated, “As I understand it, you have come for the child, but I have to make sure you have what it takes to care for one.”
Bob let her know that he was already a father and Mrs. Meredith Sticks nodded appreciatively as if to say, “You’ll do,” but she still gave him her phone number.
“Call me if you need anything,” she said. The kind woman also offered her new acquaintance a ride to the airport on the day of departure.
Things went on smoothly for Bob until it was time to board the plane. When he got to the boarding gate, the woman at the counter refused to let him through.
“Is this your child sir?” she asked.
“Of course she is,” he said.
“I’m sorry but she seems too young to be on an airplane. How old is she?”
“She’s four days old. Now can I get through?” Bob said.
“I’m sorry sir, but you’ll have to present her birth certificate and wait till she is at least seven days old before traveling with her,” the woman said sternly.
“What is this?” Bob asked sternly. “Are you implying that I must stay here for the next few days? I had to return home today because I do not have any family here to stay with.
The woman apologized and looked at the next person in line, saying, “It is the policy.”
Bob was aware that getting the document would take a while, but he had nowhere to go in Florida and no one to turn to for assistance.
He was preparing to spend the night at the airport when he remembered Mrs. Sticks, the kind woman from the medical center. He would rather not have bothered her, but he had no choice, and the night was quickly approaching.
“Hello Meredith,” he said. “I need your help.”
When Mrs. Sticks found out about Bob’s problem, she immediately promised to return to the airport and bring them to her home — it was an offer that astounded Bob, who knew he would most likely have refused to help if he was in her place.
“Compassion still thrives in this world,” he thought to himself.
Before heading back to Texas, Bob spent over a week at Mrs. Sticks’ residence. The woman did more than simply invite Bob and his daughter to stay at her house. By talking to him and offering consolation, she helped him deal with the death of his wife and the arrival of the baby. She even made it simpler for him by helping to arrange for his wife’s body to be transported properly.
The dad was amazed by her generosity and would frequently refer to her as a true angel. His daughter even appeared to like her, as she would light up and start laughing at the sound of her voice.
During his stay, Bob learned that the woman had four grown children, seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Together they looked after the baby, took relieving walks, and even went to honor the memory of Mrs. Sticks’ departed husband — activities that brought the two even closer.
The man saw in Mrs. Sticks his mother who had passed away a long time ago, and he knew he would miss her a lot when he flew home.
After receiving his daughter’s birth certificate, he was permitted to return home, but Bob continued to keep in touch with the old lady who had helped him.
Until she died a few years later, he visited her annually with his young kid because he never forgot her generosity and had no idea how things would have turned out without her.
At her funeral, a lawyer contacted him and informed him that, similar to what she did for her children, Mrs. Sticks had given him a portion of her estate.
Bob sent the money to a foundation he started with her four children, including her eldest daughter Shirley, whom he fell in love with after being exposed to her charms all the time, as a token of appreciation for her generosity. She became the mother of his six children after they were married.
What did we gain from this story?
Being kind makes an impact. Bob would always remember Mrs. Sticks, who supported him during his darkest moments. He founded the charitable organization as a means of spreading kindness after being moved by her heart.
Imbibe the culture of giving back. Bob adopted three kids with his late wife because he was from a foster home himself and wanted to find a way to make the lives of kids in orphanages better. It is an act worthy of emulation.