They Had Something To Tell Him
He found himself stranded with nowhere to go as the end of the day approached. It happened after he got on his plane with his baby. At the time, he had been under the impression that he was going home when the unbelievable happened. All of a sudden, this new dad was told that neither he nor the baby was allowed to be on that flight. A woman told him that he needed to come with her then and there, but what could possibly be going on?
They Had Something To Tell Him
He Was A New Father
The story took place in April 2018. When it happened, Rubin Swift was due to travel to Phoenix. He had been filled with excitement for a very good reason. He recently became a dad, but circumstances had not been very kind to him. On the day that he found out about the good news, he assumed that things were looking up after waiting for such a long time. However, his happiness did not last long.
He Was A New Father
The Great News
You see, he had been going through a lengthy legal battle before our story took place. At last, he was granted full custody of his child! This turn of events meant that he was allowed to come and get his newborn, Ru-Andria, from the hospital. After that, he planned to bring her to his house in Ohio. While he was excited to show her their home, he was blindsided by what fate had in store for him.
The Great News
He Was Totally Blindsided
This excited father left the Phoenix hospital with his newborn baby girl, who had been in this world for no more than four days. He went straight to the airport in order to get ready for their flight that was going to take her to her new home. Rubin already discussed the issue and arranged everything with the airline. You can just imagine his horror when he was then informed by the ticket officer that this did not matter. What was going on here?
He Was Totally Blindsided
He Thought He Was Prepared
The doctors at the hospital who looked after Ru-Andria took it upon themselves to draw up the documentation that showed that she was healthy and safe. She was fit to undertake an inter-state flight and everything that went with such an undertaking. Why on earth were they making a lot of hassle for this pair then? Rubin was dumbfounded as he listened to what the Frontier Airlines ticket officer had to say. It seemed like there was something that both parties had overlooked. Uh-oh.
He Thought He Was Prepared
They Were Stranded There
The officer informed him that the airline had a policy that restricted any baby who has yet to reach the age of “seven days” from undertaking any form of air travel. It did not matter how long or short the trip was. Rubin was devastated to hear this thing since he already missed his family a lot. How could he possibly overcome an obstacle such as this one? He decided to weigh the options that he had in that given moment.
They Were Stranded There
Someone Who Could Help Them
Could this new dad possibly sit out the remaining three days before Ru-Andria was a week old? Was he going to try his luck with a different airline that did not follow that policy? How was he going to bring his newborn baby girl to Ohio? He was confused and overwhelmed, but he decided to look at his options. However, it turned out that this was not the final obstacle that he had to face!
Someone Who Could Help Them
He Was Backed Into A Corner
“I was out of money and the hospital told me that I wouldn’t be able to get a birth certificate for seven days,” Rubin narrated. He continued, “I was worried that if security saw me sleeping at the airport with a newborn, they’d take her away from me and charge me with neglect. I was stuck.” Who would have thought that it was about to get even worse than how things were already going? We would have felt very helpless in his shoes as well.
He Was Backed Into A Corner
They Had No Support System There
Rubin had no friends or family members living in Phoenix. Yes, this new dad was stuck with his newborn daughter in a place that he was unfamiliar with. On top of that, it was a place where he did not know a single soul. Could it be his fate to sit out the next few days? He was starting to panic at the idea of being unable to provide for his little angel, but we would have done the same thing in his shoes. It was a good thing that he managed to regain control of his emotions and approach the problem in a more positive and rational way.
They Had No Support System There
A Stranger Came To Mind
We are sure that it was tough to be in that situation. It was a good thing that a face suddenly came to his mind. He remembered that, while he was at the hospital, there was an older woman that he met in the Banner University Medical Centre maternity ward. That was the same day that he first met and held Ru-Andria. The lady he had in mind was a hospital volunteer who carried and looked after his little girl! But what did Rubin plan to do?
A Stranger Came To Mind
The Paper In His Pocket
Rubin got to speak to the kind woman for a couple of minutes on that fateful day. Right away, he could tell that she was a woman with a kind and nurturing disposition. He had the presence of mind to get her number for some reason. He wrote it on a slip of paper that he stashed away in his pocket. However, he had no idea if she would remember him or even his daughter if he reached out. At any rate, there was only one way for him to find out.
The Paper In His Pocket
He Hoped For The Best
There he was at the airport with his newborn daughter in his arms. Rubin was struggling because he was out of money and options. This new dad did not have any other option left, so he decided to simply stick to what his gut was telling him. After pulling out the crumpled piece of paper from his pocket, he dialed her number and hoped for the best: “Please answer…please…” It felt like everything had been banking on this phone call. What was going to happen next?
He Hoped For The Best
Welcoming Them With Open Arms
It was at that moment that Joy Ringhofer stepped into the picture. Without her, we would not have this beautiful story to tell you! She had already shown this small family an act of kindness only three days before the unfortunate incident. Thanks to this, a touching lifelong connection got its start. The older woman welcomed Rubin and Ru-Andria into her home without any hesitation at all. Later on, Joy explained, “I had such a strong feeling and I that I needed to do this for him and I know that he was a very kind and safe man to have in my home… and he has been a perfect gentleman.”
Welcoming Them With Open Arms
It Could Have Ended In Disaster
It started out as a happy event in which Rubin could finally meet and bring home his newborn daughter but nearly ended in a disaster. Before Joy lent him a hand, Rubin had been stranded in an unfamiliar place with a newborn child. After what he went through, he was shown kindness by a kind senior citizen. He can understand why his mood improved so much! To Rubin, it must have felt like the older woman was an angel sent to look after him and his daughter.
It Could Have Ended In Disaster
He Did Not Understand Her At First
Rubin said that upon calling her, she told him that she would come and get them from the airport. He laughed because he assumed that she planned to bring him all the way to Ohio. However, he had no idea that she planned to welcome them into her own house and help them out. Rubin also said that it would have been in her right to refuse them. She might not have needed to do it, but Joy still decided to treat them like family. It did not matter to her that they were complete and total strangers!
He Did Not Understand Her At First
Treating Them Like Family
Not only did Joy feed Rubin and his newborn daughter, but she also made sure that they were happy and comfortable in the comfort of her home. She would even sit up at night and held Ru-Andria like her own child. The elderly lady also took the baby into her room and looked after her to ensure that she was content and cared for. The new dad was so impressed by her generosity. Amazed and in disbelief, he said, “I mean who does that? Joy formed such a strong bond with her and said she’s just beautiful, wonderful, she’s been so good and Joy is going to miss her when she’s gone.”
Treating Them Like Family
She Is Now An Honorary Granny
Over the course of the next few days, Joy held, loved after, and loved the little girl. These three strangers became close enough that they even visited the grave of her husband together. Apparently, he had recently passed away after fighting Parkinson’s disease. Rubin was so touched by the unconditional kindness that the 78-year-old woman showed them. In fact, he even said that this now makes her the honorary grandmother of Ru-Andria! Through her kindness, Joy gained a grandchild.
She Is Now An Honorary Granny
Much Too Late For Them
Rubin and Ru-Andria booked a new flight to return to Ohio. It was a good thing that Frontier Airlines told them that they would waive the change fees associated with the tickets. Despite this, we are all familiar with the old saying that goes, “Too little too late.” After he found out that he could not take the flight with his newborn child, they told him that he would be able to refund the money in a week. By doing this, they pretty much left this new family destitute in an unfamiliar city without any money for food, supplies, or accommodation. Fortunately, Joyce came to their rescue.
Much Too Late For Them
A Strange Turn Of Events
We are glad that life works in mysterious ways. Things would have gone very differently if Rubin Swift did not reach out to Joy. She decided to take a leap of faith after seeing this fellow human being who needed love, compassion, and kindness. Through her good deed, they were able to form a couple of unbreakable bonds! They did not only become friends but practically become family as well. How lovely!
A Strange Turn Of Events
He Felt Helpless At The Time
It was already daunting enough to be a new single father with no prior experience in looking after a newborn child just yet. Rubin was able to learn a lot of lessons from this ordeal. We are sure that he felt very frustrated when he found out about the rather unfair and ridiculous rule followed by the airlines. We are glad to hear that he was able to keep his wits about him and made the right call by asking for help from a retired caregiver who turned out to be a good Samaritan!
He Felt Helpless At The Time
No Mother In Sight
As you might have noticed by now, we did not talk about the mother of the child at all. If you ask us, this does not really matter to the story. Perhaps she went through a difficult labor, did not want the child, or was unable to look after the baby. There are many things that could possibly explain her absence. We might not know the answer to this question, but what we can tell you was that Rubin Swift went over to Phoenix to fetch his newborn child and did everything he could to give Ru-Andria a chance at life.
No Mother In Sight
It All Worked Out
He was able to make this possible with the help of an older woman by the name of Joy Ringhofer. This elderly lady deserves to be honored by all of us! She did not consider her own comfort or safety as she took in complete strangers into her own home. In this day and age, it is pretty rare to hear about stories of compassion. To Joy, the only thing that mattered was to help someone in need. How nice is that?
It All Worked Out
Former Strangers But Family Now
In the end, Rubin and Ru-Andria were able to make it to Ohio. However, they did not leave before he made a promise to come back and reunite with the woman who became a part of their family in a matter of days. What did Rubin learn from this ordeal? He said, “…that in this crazy world there is still compassion.” This new dad wants to spread that compassion by motivating others to step out and lend a hand to people in need. He said, “Let’s return to a time when we all cared about one another. That’s what I’m hoping will happen.”
Former Strangers But Family Now
A Little Kindness Goes A Long Way
Now, we want you to think about yourself in her shoes. What do you think you will do when you a person in need asks you for some help? Are you going to pretend that you did not see the person going through a dilemma? Or do you think you will reach out and offer them kindness? We sure hope that you would do the right thing in the same way that Joy did. After all, each and every one of us could do with more compassion in the world right now.
A Little Kindness Goes A Long Way