“Everyone around us stood up and noticed just this beautiful encounter with a stranger. It was just an unbelievable kind of moment,” Kelly Levine joyously recalled the beautiful moment.
One first-time flyer got a very special souvenir from a complete stranger
During the return journey from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, to Newark International Airport on January 6, Kelly Levine, aka @kellyryan49 on TikTok, observed her five-month-old daughter, Romey, captivated by the woman seated next to them who was engrossed in sewing.
“She was just staring at her blatantly and amazed at how fast her hands were moving,” shared Kelly.
The woman and Kelly struck up a conversation afterward. It turned out that the woman, named Meegan Rubin, recognized her from their coincidental shared flight to Mexico.
As the journey progressed, Kelly and Rubin engaged in conversation, primarily centered around Romey, who remained fascinated by Rubin’s crafting. “It entertained her for hours of the flight, just kind of observing her,” Kelly expresses. “She was just so kind. She had said how good Romey was and how beautiful she was.”
Mid-flight, Kelly and her husband, Jake, observed Rubin diligently working on her craftmanship. Although they never inquired about the creation, little did they anticipate it would be a gift for them. Upon landing, Rubin casually turned to Kelly and said, “OK, I’m done.” She presented a small yellow knitted hat, perfectly sized for the toddler. “I just couldn’t help myself. She’s so good,” Rubin explained as the reason behind her thoughtful gesture.
“Turns out she had whipped up and crocheted this beanie for Romey in the last maybe two hours of the flight, unbeknownst to us. It was beyond kind and such a shock. Everyone around us stood up and noticed just this beautiful encounter with a stranger. It was just an unbelievable kind of moment,” said an astounded, but grateful Kelly.
She also explained she was nervous as this was the first time she flew with her daughter. Additionally, she wasn’t that fond of aviation, either.
“It’s just nerve-wracking going into a flight. You don’t know who you’re going to be sitting next to, if they’re going to be annoyed if the baby acts up, or if the baby starts to need me to get up or walk around the plane. All those things go through your head as a parent,” Kelly explained. “And so when you don’t have any of that, but you also have a woman who is so nice and out of the kindness of her own heart, definitely put me and my husband’s nerves to rest. It’s also definitely let me be more open to traveling with my baby in the future.”
Since the flight, Kelly shared the heartwarming moment in a TikTok, and the footage now has 6.8 million views. Through this video, she hopes to remind people that you never know what unexpected good deeds will come your way. “Doing something nice for no other reason than just to be nice is something that everyone can use,” said Kelly.
Kelly notes that she and Rubin, who’s also the owner of the crocheting business @crochetobey, have maintained their connection through social media. Additionally, on January 8, Rubin shared the heartwarming encounter on her Instagram account.
“I made some cool new friends on flight home from Mexico this past weekend. Mom @kellyluc and Dad @instajake63 were such sweet parents as they took turns caring for their 5-month-old baby girl Romey. “While other children were crying and complaining, lil Romey remained calm cool and collected as she gazed upon the crochet 🧶 work in action. (My heart melted ) she was adorable and deserving of a custom beanie !!! Thanks Kelly and Jake for sharing this story. The more we give, the more we receive!!!” Rubin wrote.