Single mom and 18-month-old were ‘kicked off’ flight due to space constraints — strangers united to give her a smooth trip

For most parents, traveling with kids is extremely hectic, as they have to consider their needs and be extra vigilant. It becomes harder for single moms or moms traveling solo with kids to do everything by themselves. Fortunately, for a mom named Gabrielle–who goes by @notaregularnanny on Instagram–traveling with her 18-month-old got much better with the magic of strangers, per PEOPLE. The mom was having a rough journey with multiple issues arising. However, not one but a couple of strangers came together to make her trip memorable in the most precious way.

Due to technical issues, Gabrielle’s initial flight got canceled. Luckily, she managed to get a connecting flight. Unfortunately, the mom and son duo were not allowed on the flight at the last minute due to space constraints. The immense worry was just adding up, and to Gabrielle’s rescue came the first stranger, a fellow mom. “She saw me at the desk and noticed that we got kicked off our flight. She told me that she was happy to put her child in her lap so that we could have the extra seat,” she explained. In the video, the mom shared that she was worried about traveling alone because she had “no village” to help her. 

Little did she know that the fellow mom was only a start to show her the power of kindness. Once Gabrielle got into her aisle seat with her baby, another elderly man sitting on the window seat across from her offered to hold her son so he could enjoy the view outside. That was not all, the mom was stuck at the airport as her next flight was canceled and she was trying to figure out how to work the rest of her trip. A flight was available only after three days. While she focused on finding a stay, a family offered to “play with and entertain” her 18-month-old.

Furthermore, a few little boys offered their snacks and time to play with her son as she navigated her way through. Though her trip was filled with chaos, each unexpected encounter with different strangers soothed and assured her magically. When she found a hotel 40 minutes away from the airport, she realized she had no milk for her son. “Some lovely man I met in the lobby said, ‘I’m going to walk and try to find a grocery store. I’m happy to bring you back some milk,’” she remarked. Next, when the mom had to board a train, the Uber driver offered to let her and her son wait in the cab for a couple more minutes instead of alone at the station at night “because he cared about our safety.”

It was followed by an elderly man keeping the boy company, Gabrielle’s friends dropping everything to help her out and a family giving the mom a break during a 13-hour train ride. “I just felt like it was so serendipitous that we were surrounded by all these amazing, kind people. It was one of those situations where we were all stranded and everyone just banded together to help,” the grateful mom remarked. “Sometimes, it’s not the village you bring with you, it’s the village you find along the way,” the mom added.

You can follow Gabrielle (@notaregularnanny) on Instagram for more content on parenting.