Mother Pays Touching Tribute to NJ Man in ‘Dear Daddy in Seat 16C’ Blog [VIDEO]

Shanell Mouland didn't know the name of the kindhearted man who sat next to her autistic daughter Kate on flight 1850, as they made a connecting flight in Philadelphia on their way home from Disney World. But when she praised the stranger in her blog, and the story was seen by thousands of people, he was identified as New Jersey resident Eric Kunkel.

Mouland's 3-year-old duaghter called the man 'Daddy' during the entire flight, she wrote in her article, titled 'Dear Daddy in Seat 16C Flight 1850 From Philly'. That post since gone viral.

"You kindly never corrected her. In fact, you didn't even flinch as you could probably tell that she was not confusing you with her own 'daddy' but instead making a judgment regarding your level of 'safety' for her."

Mouland noted that Kunkel engaged Kate, and never once seeming annoyed.

"You could have shifted uncomfortably in your seat. You could have ignored her. You could have given me that 'smile' that I despise because it means; 'manage your child please.'  You did none of that. You engaged Kate in conversation and you asked her questions about her turtles."

After the blog post on Mouland's website -- Go Team Kate -- went viral, a family member realized that Kunkel was the man at the center of the tribute, and notified him. Kunkel travels a lot for work, and told Yahoo that Kate was "by far the most well-behaved kid I've sat next to."

Click here to read Mouland's post 'Dear Daddy in Seat 16C Flight 1850 From Philly'.
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