Bob Hollis was shocked when he received a call from a Florida hospital. His wife, Mary, had died during childbirth, leaving him to pick up their newborn baby. He rushed to the hospital, grief-stricken, where he met Mrs. Sticks, a kindly 82-year-old volunteer. She offered condolences and handed him his daughter, giving him her phone number for support.

However, when Bob tried to board a plane back home to Texas, the airline refused to let him on with his newborn, citing a policy requiring infants to be at least seven days old and have a birth certificate. Bob was devastated. He had nowhere to stay in Florida and no family there.

Desperate, he called Mrs. Sticks, who immediately offered him and his baby a place to stay. The kind woman provided comfort, shared her home, and even helped him manage the logistics of transporting his late wife’s body back home.

Bob stayed with Mrs. Sticks for a week, forming a close bond with her and her family. They helped him care for his newborn and grieve his wife’s loss. Mrs. Sticks’ presence eased his burden, and her voice even made his baby giggle.

Once his daughter’s birth certificate arrived, Bob was able to fly back to Texas. He kept in touch with Mrs. Sticks, visiting her annually with his growing daughter. When she passed away, Bob was saddened but learned she had left him part of her inheritance. To honor her kindness, he donated it to a charity he founded with her family. During this time, he fell in love with Shirley, Mrs. Sticks’ oldest daughter, and they eventually married, creating a new blended family.