A single dad was in the zoo with his kids when he realized he had left his baby’s diapers at home. An older lady stepped in to help, and the following day, a luxurious car showed up at her front door.
Jason was a single father to two children, his 6-year-old daughter Sarah and 1-year-old son Rob. Jason’s wife, Mandy, had died giving birth to Rob, and it was a heartbreaking time for him. He could not celebrate the arrival of his much-awaited son because he was grieving the love of his life.
Despite this, Jason promised his late wife that he’d do everything he could to care for their children properly. He worked hard to provide for their wants and needs and would spend all of his free time with them.
Jason raised his two kids alone after the death of his wife. | Source: Pexels
One day, Jason decided to take his children to the zoo. Sarah and Rob were amazed by the many animals around them, excitedly visiting every animal enclosure.
Then Rob started to cry. At first, Jason thought his son was hungry, so he bought them some hotdogs from a food stand. When Rob didn’t stop crying, Jason checked his diapers and saw that he had pooped.
Upon checking the backpack he had packed earlier that day, Jason realized he had forgotten to pack extra diapers for Rob. He tried asking the zookeepers whether they sold diapers inside the premises, but they said they didn’t.
Out of options, Jason declared that they had to go home. They quietly walked outside the bathroom and stood by the beach umbrellas, where, this time, Sarah started crying.
“I don’t want to go home!” she cried. “We barely even got to visit all the animals! Why do we have to go home just because Rob pooped in his diapers?!”
Sarah was starting to throw a tantrum, and Jason was in despair, with two kids crying simultaneously. “Help me, Mandy,” he whispered, hoping his late wife was somehow watching over them from heaven.
At that moment, Jason suddenly felt a warm hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw an older woman handing him a pack of diapers.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, son, but I was cleaning the cubicles when I overheard you say you left your son’s diapers at home,” she told him. “Here, I have some diapers. Take them so you can continue to enjoy your day at the zoo.”
Jason wondered why an old woman randomly had a pack of diapers at the zoo. Nonetheless, she was an answered prayer, and he couldn’t help but think that his late wife Mandy had intervened from heaven.
“This is very kind of you. Thank you!” he said appreciatively.
“My name is Dorothy,” the old woman said. “I’m a cleaner here at the zoo. Before arriving here for my shift, I had purchased some diapers and milk for my great-grandchildren who are coming over for Thanksgiving tomorrow,” she shared.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Jason replied as soon as he heard the diapers were for her great-grandchildren. “Please, let me know your address. I’ll send you a new pack of diapers in time for the holidays tomorrow.”
Dorothy shook her head. “There is no need for that. Shortly after I arrived at the zoo, my grandchildren told me they would no longer be able to come. I’m going to spend Thanksgiving alone,” she sighed.
Jason felt bad for the old woman and wanted to help her. She looked heartbroken. She must have been looking forward to the day, only for her family to cancel on her at the last minute.
After they parted ways, Sarah suddenly spoke to her dad. “Dad, the poor grandma will be spending Thanksgiving alone. She deserves to be with other people who care for her!”
Jason knew that Sarah was right. He told his daughter they would do something about it, and they continued with their day. Before leaving, they visited the zoo admin office to learn more about Dorothy.
Upon entering, the admin manager greeted them with a warm smile. “How can I help you?” he asked them.
Jason shared that they came across a kind, elderly lady named Dorothy who claimed she was a cleaner at the zoo. “We found out that Dorothy will be spending Thanksgiving alone tomorrow. We don’t want that to happen!” Sarah suddenly interjected.
The admin manager smiled at the little girl’s thoughtfulness. He admitted that they usually don’t share information about their employees with their guests, but because it was Sarah asking politely, he was willing to make an exception.
Jason, Sarah, and Rob went home that day with happy hearts and minds. Not only did they enjoy their fun-filled family day together, but they were also looking forward to spending the Thanksgiving holiday together.
The next day, Dorothy woke up to her doorbell ringing. She curiously opened the door and was startled to find a luxury car parked outside.
“Hi, Dorothy,” Jason waved. “Someone here doesn’t want you to spend Thanksgiving weekend alone,” he said, gesturing to Sarah, who was hiding behind him.
“Would you like to spend it with us?” Sarah asked shyly.
Dorothy couldn’t help but cry because she really didn’t want to be alone on Thanksgiving. “You guys are heaven sent,” she said, wiping her tears. “I would love to spend Thanksgiving with you!”
Jason drove Sarah and Rob to Dorothy’s house the following day. | Source: Pexels
With that, Jason, Sarah, and Rob waited for Dorothy to get ready, after which they drove back with Dorothy to their big, lakeside house, where they cooked delicious turkey, ham, and chicken pot pie which they devoured together.
Jason, Sarah, Rob, and Dorothy spent the entire afternoon exchanging stories by the campfire as if they had known each other forever. Sarah started calling Dorothy “grandma,” which warmed the old lady’s heart.
Since then, Jason would invite Dorothy to eat with them every holiday so that Dorothy would not feel alone anymore. They became a happy family, and although Dorothy’s children and grandchildren barely visited her, she never felt alone anymore.
What can we learn from this story?
- What goes around comes around. Dorothy willingly helped a struggling Jason, only for him to return her kindness by ensuring she never felt alone again. When you are kind to other people, the universe will find a way to repay you for your kindness even when you’re not expecting anything in return.
- Even the most chance encounters lead to beautiful, life-long relationships. Dorothy thought that her encounter with Jason and his children ended after she gave them a pack of diapers at the zoo. But Jason and his kids returned the favor by reaching out to her during Thanksgiving and spending time with her on each holiday after.
This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only.
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