Man Notices Woman and Her Sleepy Child on the Train, Gives Her Money and a Supportive Note

A young mom was on the train with her toddler son when a stranger tapped on her shoulder. He handed her a note and some money and left. She was moved by this act of kindness and launched a social media campaign to find him.

We all go through days that test our patience and leave us exhausted. While bad days don't last long, they can take an emotional toll on us, making us doubt our inner strength.

Motivating ourselves in our most challenging moments is easier said than done. However, receiving acknowledgment from someone unknown can make a world of difference in our lives, brightening our day and reminding us how strong we are.

A Long Train Journey

Something similar happened to a young mother traveling on a train with her little kid. Then 23-year-old Sammie Welch was on a long five-and-a-half-hour journey with her three-year-old son, Rylan, in 2015.

Welch had recently moved to Plymouth from Crewe, Cheshire, where she worked as an IT technician. She wished to switch to a similar job and had visited her sister in Crewe when she and Rylan changed trains in Birmingham.

When the mom and son duo got on the train from Birmingham to Plymouth, they were exhausted. Initially, Welch kept Rylan busy by playing games and listening to music.

A Single Mother

But when he finally fell asleep, and the train became busier, she put him on her lap to vacate a seat. Welch explained that constantly changing trains on their way had been grueling, especially for her son, but he behaved nicely and didn't cry.

Saunders had only related the train incident to his daughter, who later came across Welch's social media posts and told her father the woman was looking for him.

Even though Welch made it look easy, handling a toddler during long journeys can be daunting, especially with all the fellow passengers around. That was one reason why she and Rylan caught a stranger's attention on the train.

The Mystery Note

The mystery passenger politely tapped on Welch's shoulder, gave her a folded note and some cash, and said, "I think you dropped this out of your bag." Before the single mom could react, the stranger disappeared.

Welch explained she hadn't noticed the stranger until he slipped her the note and got off the train at Bristol. When she opened the crinkled piece of paper, it contained £5 ($6.74) and a handwritten message.

The note read: "Have a drink on me. You are a credit to your generation, polite and teaching the little boy good manners." The kind stranger didn't reveal his identity and signed off the letter as the "man on the train at table with glasses and hat. Have a lovely evening (sic)."

A Heartwarming Gesture

The mother-of-one was touched by the gesture and launched a social media campaign to find her anonymous benefactor. She read the kind note several times and couldn't stop crying. The supportive message also read:

"PS I have a daughter your age... Hope when she has children she is as good a mother as you!"

Welch later appeared on "Good Morning Britain" with her son and mentioned that she was shocked by the random act of kindness and grateful that someone appreciated her role as a single mother.

Finding the Mystery Man

She revealed that she had put the money into her son's savings account. Thanks to Welch's social media campaign, the mystery man came forward and shared the story on "Good Morning Britain."

Then 50-year-old Ken Saunders from Wiltshire stated he didn't know Welch was looking for him. Saunders had only related the train incident to his daughter, who later came across Welch's social media posts and told her father the woman was looking for him.

The Wiltshire resident explained that he had had a long week and day when he saw Welch and Rylan and found their exchange endearing.

An Endearing Sight

He also added: "She came on; the little boy was a bubbly little boy. And he coughed, and she said, 'Oh Rylan, put your hand in front of yo,' mouth,' and then he practiced it quite a bit after that (sic)."

Saunders watched as Welch politely told her toddler son to say "pardon" instead of "what," and he found it entertaining and touching. He said it was a sudden decision, as he felt the need to appreciate Welch as a great role model and mother.

Welch, Rylan, and Saunders had an emotional reunion on "Good Morning Britain" in late January 2015. The young mother thanked her generous benefactor for his random act of kindness.

If this heartwarming story brightened your day, don't forget to share it with your family and friends. Here's another similar story that you might like, and it's about a single father who took his daughter on a date on Valentine's Day in 2015.

Surprisingly, the daddy-daughter duo caught the attention of several diners, one of whom left a mystery note for them. You can read the full story here.