In April 2018, Rubin Swift was traveling from Cleveland to Phoenix to meet his newborn daughter at the hospital and bring her home. Rubin was granted custody of baby Ru-Andria and was so excited to take her back with him to his hometown in Ohio.

Once the beaming new dad left the hospital with his four-day-old daughter, the pair arrived at the airport. Rubin approached the ticket agent at the counter and pulled out a doctor’s note confirming Ru-Andria was allowed to fly — but it didn’t matter. He was told they weren’t able to board the plane that day.

Rubin stood there in disbelief as the ticket agent explained the airline prohibits babies younger than seven days old from flying. What on earth was he going to do now?!

Rubin didn’t know anyone in Phoenix. He was about to be stranded with a newborn baby with nowhere to go and no one to turn for three days.

Then a face popped into Rubin’s worried mind. Back at the hospital on the day he met his newborn daughter, he remembered walking into the maternity ward and seeing an elderly woman and hospital volunteer named Joy holding Ru-Andria.

Though he only spoke to Joy for a few minutes, he knew she was kind and nurturing.

Rubin found Joy’s phone number. He didn’t think she’d even remember him, but with no other options and a newborn in tow, he took a chance and called her.

What followed was a three-day act of kindness that went viral and touched the hearts of millions.