Though we know that kind and decent people exist in this world, sometimes awful stories and personal experiences can make us forget that. We get jaded. We understandably become cautious, leery, or even paranoid when it comes to strangers.

But as we know, strangers do not always have ill intentions, even if kids are involved. In fact, an Oklahoma mom was left in tears after she and her son met a mysterious stranger in Target. And they weren’t tears due to fear.

Inside Edition shares the story of Alyssa Hacker, who was shopping with her little boy, Owen, while waiting for “Grammi”. The 18-month-old was torn between three stuffed dinosaur toys and was trying to make a choice as he sat in the cart. As toddlers sometimes do, he yelled out a friendly “hi” to an elderly man who was walking past.

“Hey sweet boy,” the man replied, and started to talk and play with the boy. Alyssa was a little apprehensive at first, but after chatting for a bit, she didn’t feel so uneasy anymore. He soon parted ways with the family, but not without a small gift.

He slipped Owen $20 and said to Alyssa, “I just lost my 2-year-old grandson last week. You take this money and buy this boy all three dinosaurs.”

He walked off while wiping his tears away, and Alyssa was choked up too. So much so that she started crying in the middle of the store. She posted the story on Facebook, including this last touching moment:

“After Owen yelled ‘thank you’ the gentleman turned around and yelled boomer sooner! There is still some good in this world.”

It just goes to show that you never know what a person is going through, and that a little kindness can make a huge difference. In this case, that kindness was mutual, and perhaps they were each other’s angel that day. Grateful that her son could be a source of joy for someone, Alyssa obliged the gentleman’s request and bought all three of those dinosaurs.

The Facebook post went viral, being shared over 130,000 times and garnering over 16,000 comments. More importantly, people thought about the weight of losing a child and how such a tragedy inspires acts of paying it forward. Alyssa was inspired to share the sweet tale to counter all the negativity we’re bombarded with each day.

Watch the video to hear from Alyssa and to see her friendly little boy whose presence touched a grieving grandfather. While the kind man’s identity will remain a mystery, his kind deed will stick with Alyssa and Owen for a long time to come.

As for the gentleman, he probably has no idea how many people he touched through his gesture, and how many probably wish they could give him a hug. Hopefully, he’ll be able to find some semblance of peace someday. That chance meeting with Owen gave him a little sunshine.

What are your thoughts on this sweet story? Have you ever had an emotional moment like this with a stranger?