An airport janitor’s heart goes out to a lost boy, and he gives the little guy his only sandwich to eat. In tears, the boy takes a bite of the sandwich and tells the janitor, “Save my mommy from that monster. She’s hurt!”
Some dreams collapse because better things await you. And some accidental encounters lead you to those better things in your life.
Neil didn’t believe any of it. He was a 35-year-old man living a humble life, working as an airport janitor to provide for his two-year-old triplets.
A few years ago, Neil considered himself a lucky and happily married man. He had a beautiful wife, three adorable daughters, and a small, cozy home in a lovely neighborhood. But one day, it all fell apart…
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Neil’s beautiful wife, who had gone abroad for a modeling job, called him one day and ended everything. They were so happy when they found out she was selected for the job. They had cut a cake together, and Neil had spent more money than his pocket would allow to treat her to a lovely dinner.
Daffney always wanted to become a model. She and Neil met at the airport, where they both worked. After having the triplets, Daffney quit her job to be a full-time mom. But she didn’t like it and told Neil she wanted to try for her dreams. Neil was very supportive.
“I’m always there for you, babe,” he had told her. “You don’t need to worry. I support you in everything.”
But her words on the phone that day made Neil regret it. He hated that he had been kind and loving to a woman who selfishly abandoned her family for her career and money.
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“We were meant to go our separate ways, Neil,” she said on the phone. “I have a bright future ahead of me. I was never meant to have babies or do housework.”
Before Neil could say anything else, the line went dead. He called her again, but the phone had been switched off. Soon, he received divorce papers, and his marriage abruptly ended.
Before Neil could grieve, he realized he had to pull himself together for his children, his little angels who were now his responsibility. He didn’t care if his wife abandoned him with the babies. He promised himself he would be the best father to his darling triplets.
Accidental encounters can lead to beautiful beginnings.
One day, Neil was working at the airport when he saw a little boy sleeping in the waiting room seats. There were no elders around him, and he appeared to be in a deep sleep.
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“Maybe his parents went out to buy something…”
Neil didn’t give it much thought, swept the area, and left.
But when he returned to mop the floor, he saw the boy was still there. Neil sensed something was wrong, so he decided to talk to the boy.
“Are you ok, child?” Neil gently tapped his shoulder, and the boy was startled awake. “Please leave me. I – I didn’t do anything!”
“Hey, hey, it’s ok,” Neil said gently. “I’m Neil. I work here.”
“I’m sorry,” the boy said in tears. “I am waiting for my mommy…”
“Do you want me to take you to her?” Neil asked. “I could help you.”
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Before the boy could say anything, his stomach started gurgling, and Neil laughed. “Looks like you’re hungry, my little friend. Wait here. I’ll be right back, ok?”
Neil returned to the boy with a sandwich and gave it to him. “This was the only thing I had for lunch, but you’re more than welcome to eat it. Your mother will not be pleased to see you waiting for her hungry.”
“Are you sure I can have it?” the boy asked.
“Of course, little man. Take it, take it,” Neil said with an encouraging smile, and the boy accepted it.
“I’m Kyle,” he said as he took a bite of the sandwich. “Can – Can I ask you for help, Neil?” His lips were trembling and his eyes welling up with tears.
“Sure, Kyle,” Neil answered with a smile, but his smile faded when he heard what Kyle had to say.
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“Please help me…” Kyle looked at Neil and wrapped his arms around him. “Save my mommy from that monster!” he begged. “She’s hurt, Neil! She needs our help!”
“Hey buddy,” Neil gave him a comforting hug and sat beside him. “What happened to her? What’s wrong?”
“My daddy…he took mommy away. He took her in the car and away from me!” Kyle sobbed. “Neil, will mommy be ok? She was so scared!”
“She’ll be perfect, buddy. Can you tell me more about what happened?”
So Kyle told him everything, and Neil knew what he had to do. He dialed 911 and alerted airport authorities of the situation.
Soon after, the cops tracked down Kyle’s mother, Stella. Fortunately, she had made Kyle memorize her phone number, and the cops were able to track the phone. Kyle’s father was apprehended and detained, and Kyle was reunited with Stella.
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It turns out Kyle’s dad was abusive, and Stella had fled to the airport to leave the city. She decided to spend the night in the waiting room before taking a flight the next day. But Kyle’s father found her at the airport and forcibly took her to his car. Stella didn’t want him to find Kyle and hurt him, so she cooperated.
Kyle had seen them, but he ran away because he was scared. Not long after, he dozed off on a chair and was found by Neil.
“Thank you for saving me,” Stella told Neil in tears. “You have no idea how much you’ve done for us.”
“I am glad I could help,” he told her. “You should go home. Get some rest. It’s been difficult for you guys.”
Stella nodded. “We’ve changed our plans. We’re taking the next flight to my parents’ town. We are finally out of our miserable life, and I don’t want to see my husband again.”
“Thank you for helping mom, Neil!” Kyle gave him a big hug. “I’m going to miss you…”
That day, Neil watched Stella and Kyle’s plane take off with a bright smile, not expecting to see them again. However, 6 months later, while sweeping the floors, someone tapped his shoulder and said, “Would you like a sandwich?”
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Neil turned around and saw Kyle. “Hey, buddy,” Neil hugged him. “What are you doing here alone? Where’s your mom?”
“Hi Neil,” said Stella, appearing behind Kyle. “I found a job here and had to relocate…”
“But are you sure it’s all ok now? I mean, is it safe to work here?”
“It’s all right. I divorced my husband, and he hasn’t appeared in our life since… Come over sometime. Kyle and I would be delighted to have you over.”
So Neil visited Stella and Kyle one day with his triplets, and they were surprised to find out he was a single father. Neil told Stella about his wife abandoning him with the babies, and the pain of being in a bad marriage kindled their feelings for one another.
Soon after, Neil and Stella realized they were in love, and they decided to take the next step by getting married.
“I’m glad I accidentally met Kyle,” Neil said in his wedding speech. “You see, some dreams collapse because better things await you. And some accidental encounters lead you to the best things in your life… I met my wife Stella by chance, and I hope everyone has such accidental encounters.”
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What can we learn from this story?
- Accidental encounters can lead to beautiful beginnings. Neil’s accidental meeting with Kyle at the airport changed their lives forever by bringing them together as a family.
- Some dreams collapse because better things await you. Neil and Stella’s previous marriages collapsed because they had someone and something better waiting for them.
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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a poor widowed janitor who adopted an abandoned baby he found on the runway, only for her birth mom to show up on her 18th birthday and claim her back.
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. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.
