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Man Sees Mother With Baby On Oxygen Tank And Gives Her His First Class Seat

December 10, 2018

A mother who was flying to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia with her 11-month old daughter wrote an open letter to the kind stranger who gave up his first class seat for her and her child.

Credit: Kelsey Zwick

On December 6, Kelsey Zwick boarded American Airlines flight 588 from Orlando to Philadelphia with her daughter, Lucy, who suffers from severe chronic lung disease.

While sitting in her assigned seat, a flight attendant walked up to Kelsey to tell her that a man in first class had requested to switch seats with her.

This is what Kelsey wrote on Facebook:

"To the man in 2D. Today you were traveling from Orlando to Philly. I don't know you, but I imagine you saw us somewhere. I was pushing a stroller, had a diaper bag on my arm and also lugging an oxygen machine for my daughter. We had smiles on our faces as we were headed to see her “friends” at CHOP (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia). We pre- boarded the plane, got cozy in our window seat and made jokes to those around us about having to sit by my yelling-but-happy baby. The flight attendant came over and told me you were waiting to switch seats. You were giving up your comfortable, first class seat to us.

Not able to hold back tears, I cried my way up the aisle while my daughter Lucy laughed! She felt it in her bones too... real, pure, goodness. I smiled and thanked you as we switched but didn't get to thank you properly.

Sooo... thank you. Not just for the seat itself but for noticing. For seeing us and realizing that maybe things are not always easy. For deciding you wanted to show a random act of kindness to US. It reminded me how much good there is in this world. I can't wait to tell Lucy someday. In the meantime... we will pay it forward. AA 588 passenger in seat 2D, we truly feel inspired by your generosity.

Please share so we can say thanks!"

Kelsey's emotional story has touched the hearts of many on social media. Her post has been shared over 400,000 times.

"When the flight attendant mentioned that the man in first class wanted to switch. It took me a moment to understand why," she added. "As it sunk in that a perfect stranger wanted to bless us, I couldn't hold back tears. It was a gesture of someone saying, I SEE you and this is what I can do."