Traveling with kids is always a struggle — even for the families that sprung for the top-of-the-line compact strollers.
Whether it’s across the world or across the street, kids have a way of adding extra flair to any situation.
They complain that they are hungry or thirsty, sometimes during the most inconvenient of times. And of course, there’s the dreaded, “I have to go to the bathroom.”
And no, they can never wait.
While trying to catch a train with his 6-year-old daughter, one dad traveling solo faced the ultimate challenge — taking his little girl into the men’s washroom.
When It Comes to Bathrooms, Mothers Know Best!
It’s not everyday you see a changing table by the urinals — and I’m not petitioning we change that!
Still, moms seem to have the bathroom dance sorted – ladies’ restrooms are typically clean, equipped, and welcoming.
But for dads, especially #GirlDads, it’s a different and messier story.
While I wouldn’t know personally, word on the street is, men’s washrooms aren’t the cleanest for little girls?
Go figure.
His Daughter Had “To Go” — And He Didn’t Know Where to Take Her
When father, Kier Gaines, was trying to catch a train back to Washington, DC, he found himself in the middle of a real Sophie’s Choice.
His daughter, Emery, had to go — and to his dismay, she needed a little assistance.
At home, it’d be no biggie, but in public? Gaines knew his options were limited and he was running out of time.
Option 1: he could bring Emery into the women’s washroom, but it was a busy location and he understandably didn’t want to risk making the other women feel “uncomfortable” with his presence.
Option 2: he could bring his little girl into the men’s room. But that seemed awkward for everyone involved — especially after scoping out the place.
“She needed to go, but the men’s restroom was really filthy and I wasn’t sure what to do.”
Kier Gaines, TODAY.com
Yes. The bathroom was in the exact condition you would imagine a men’s public restroom at the Philadelphia train station would be.
Thankfully, one janitor caught Gaines’ eye and without any words needing to be exchanged he knew exactly the problem — and was just the man to provide the exact solution.
“One of the porters that cleans here saw me and he was like, ‘Hey bro, you want me to hit the bathroom and clean it for you?’ I said, ‘Yeah, thank you, man.’”
“You Want Me to Clean the Bathroom for You?”
Jorsh Delfish, 31, is the resident custodian at Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station and has a little girl of his own.
When he saw a fellow father at a crossroads, he knew just how to step in and he brought his mop with him.
“I’m a single dad of a little girl. I saw [Gaines] was struggling and I wanted to help because I’ve been in the same situation many times, and it’s stressful.”
Jorsh Delflish, TODAY.com
In Gaines’ words, Delfish understood the importance of making little Emery feel “comfortable and safe” and to say Delfish went above and beyond is an understatement.
“He Sprayed His Own Cologne”
He didn’t just make it safe, he made it smell good too!
“I wiped down the toilet seat, I sprayed my own cologne so it would smell good, I disinfected everything,” Delfish says. “It’s not the first time I’ve done that. I like helping other parents. I like helping out my co-workers. We gotta have each other’s backs, you know?”
Delfish says working maintenance at Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station is a healthy distraction after heartbreakingly losing his 1-year-old son, Avis, in 2022.
“There Is No Such Thing as a Small Gesture”
When Delfish shared he just wanted to make an “impact,” he had no idea just how big that impact would be.
Kier Gaines isn’t just a father, he’s also a licensed therapist and motivational speaker with over 600,000 followers. Naturally, his followers were so moved to hear his story about how one man’s “small gesture” wasn’t small at all.
“You know that tingly feeling like you could cry? I feel that. No one wants to hear a man complaining about what’s difficult for him. No one wants to hear a dad complaining about what’s hard. But for that man to see me struggling … and to clean that stall for my baby, man, that meant the world.”
Kier Gaines
The post racked up over 800,000 likes and the comment section was flooded with other dads sharing their same experience.
“Single girl dad here, definitely been there bro. I used to pray for the ‘family’ facilities to be available,” @enricoflamingo shared.
Delfish’s gesture didn’t just help one dad out of a sticky situation, his act also prompted an even bigger conversation. A pretty big “impact,” if you ask me.
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