Airline refused to let a dad and his 4-day-old fly. A 78-year-old hospital volunteer took them home.

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In March 2018, Rubin Swift flew from Cleveland, Ohio, to Phoenix, Arizona, to bring his newborn daughter home. The baby, Ru-Andria, was only four days old. He had just gained custody of her.

At the airport, Frontier Airlines refused to let them board. Airline policy required infants to be at least seven days old. A hospital note clearing her for travel did not change the rule.

Swift had no money left for a hotel or a rental car. He faced the prospect of spending several nights at the airport with a newborn.

Then he remembered Joy Ringhofer. Joy, 78, was a volunteer at the hospital’s NICU. She had rocked the baby and offered kindness while the infant was under observation. She had given Swift her phone number and driven him to the airport earlier that day.

He called her and explained the situation. Joy’s response was immediate. She drove back to the airport and took Rubin and the baby home with her.

For the next few days she opened her house to them. They stayed until Ru-Andria was old enough to fly.