Little Boy Notices Man Reminding Him of His Late Dad, Approaches Him with $20 and a Note

A little boy who barely knew what the act of selflessness meant carried out an exceptional example when he came across a dollar bill and a serviceman that reminded him of his dad.

Eight-year-old Myles Eckert lost his dad when he could barely tell his right from his left. The youngster's father, Andy Eckert, passed on in Iraq while on a mission as a military officer. This had been five weeks after his son was born.

Myles never knew his dad, but there were scores of pictures, dog tags, and stories all helping him to shape his imagination. Personally, the little boy loved seeing army officers because they reminded him of Andy.

This became a part of him such that on the day he happened upon a free dollar bill, he spontaneously and selflessly decided on what to do with it.

MYLES DISPLAYS AN ACT OF KINDNESS

Little Myles had been walking into a Cracker Barrel on the Ohio Air National Guard Base territory near Toledo with his family when he found a $20 bill. The youngster was so excited as he decided what to do with the money.

According to the timestamp on the restaurant's security camera, an army officer, Lt. Col. Frank Dailey, entered the fast food place a few minutes before Myles walked in with his family. He had walked in with his wife and kid in a baby carrier.

Myles' family also shuffled in not long after. However, as soon as he saw the soldier, he immediately decided on how to spend his money.

Myles proceeded to pen a short note on a post-it paper he attached to his money. The preteen addressed his note to Dailey, writing:

"Dear Soldier -- my dad was a soldier. He's in heaven now. I found this 20 dollars in the parking lot when we got here. We like to pay it forward in my family. It's your lucky day! Thank you for your service. Myles Eckert, a gold star kid."

At such a young age, Myles knew what it meant to honor authorities, and with his dad's memory in mind, he reached out to the soldier in the restaurant.

Speaking to CBS about the situation, Myles said that he initially wanted to get a video game with the money. However, once he saw the man in uniform, something better came up.

Dailey was stunned beyond words when he read Myles' profound note and got the money attached. For him, the little boy's gift meant more than its actual worth. The soldier heartily described it as "A lifetime direction, for sure."

Dailey told the publication that he also gave away Myles' dollar bill, and he planned to do much more. He hoped the viral story and Myles' post-it note would inspire other people to embrace the act of giving.

Dailey added that he had been looking at the note every day since he met Myles. That fateful day also prompted him to launch the pay-it-forward movement.

According to Myles' mom, Tiffany Eckert, her son's next stop after the restaurant was his dad's gravesite. Tiffany said Miles had demanded to visit Andy's gravestone after his heartwarming gesture to the soldier at Cracker Barrel, and he wanted to go there alone this time.

So Tiffany drove her son down to the gravesite and watched him walk the distance up to his dad's tombstone. The pleased mom shared a photo of the young boy clad in protective clothing as he stood in the snow-covered gravesite.

She captured the most wholesome moment of how Myles hugged Andy's gravestone tightly. She stated that she was sure he recounted the story of him and the soldier at the restaurant.

In the photo, Myles' face was away from the camera, but it was easy to tell that he had been engulfed by the emotions he felt. The youngster clad in a green snow jacket and brown head warmer did not mind the biting cold.

He wrapped his arms around the gravestone while standing behind a hoisted American flag. Myles had only memories of his father to live by, but he cherished them deeply. While speaking to CBS's Steven Hartman, the young boy showed the dog tags and Andy's wedding ring. He said about his late dad:

"I imagined him as a really nice person, and somebody that'd be really fun."

Myles’ story went viral enough for TV icon Ellen DeGeneres to invite him on her eponymous show. Dailey also made an appearance where he explained how he duplicated Myles’ post-it note and took the copies to a local charity.

Myles was a young boy with a golden heart, and DeGeneres rewarded him for it. While on the show, the youngster received a copy of a Lego video game, an invitation to Legoland, and a check for $20,000.

Children are pure-hearted little humans who never hide their feelings. They are also kind-hearted creatures who do not only think of themselves. Myles' act is a perfect example of how kids express their kindness.

Do you share the same sentiments as Myles and often see your late loved ones through other people? Do you know anyone who also sees their late parents in others? Pass on the touching story to them as well.