Texas soldier
Photo courtesy Jennifer Tilson

Kind Stranger Helps Texas Soldier Fly Home for Memorial Day

One kind stranger's incredible gift to a young soldier over the Memorial Day weekend is making headlines.

19-year-old Keaton Tilson is stationed in Fort Hood, Texas, and was excited to head back to his hometown for Memorial Day weekend. On Thursday evening, he got approval from his officer to travel out to Granite City, Ill. He headed to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport with hopes of flying standby. But Tilson got bumped from plane after plane. After talking with a gate agent, he realized his chances of flying home were quickly dwindling.

Moments later, a stranger named Josh Rainey made his way up to the counter and asked if he could transfer his ticket to Tilson. Sadly, the airline could not transfer the ticket so close to boarding time. Tilson thanked Rainey for the offer and went back to the drawing board. The U.S. Army soldier couldn't believe what happened next.

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Rainey once again approached him and offered to pay for his ticket home. The kind man paid $375 to get Tilson back home with his family for the holiday.

According to CBS News, Rainey's father was also in the military, so he knew just how important it was to get time with loved ones. Tilson was shocked at the selfless act of kindness and thanked him profusely. For Rainey, it was just the right thing to do.

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