He always feared flights but his 5-year-old gave him one thing that made him feel brave again

Zoe, a 5-year-old daughter, came up with a heartwarming solution when she found out that her father, James Grashow, was scared of flying. She made a doll for him to hold on to and to help him stay calm when flying. This might seem like a simple gesture, but it soon became her dad's greatest comfort. He’s brought the doll on every flight ever since—and it’s been 43 years. Zoe, who is now an adult, shared a picture of the comfort doll on social media, touching people's hearts and serving as a reminder of the durability and worth of a simple gift from a loved one.

As reported by the BBC, Grashow said, "I believe in magic and there is no more powerful magic than the magic that's created from love." In her Reddit post, Zoe wrote, "Mum just sent me this picture. He is planning to come visit me. The doll is 43 years old!" Zoe’s dad was packing his bags for a long trip—from Connecticut to Los Angeles—to visit her and his grandkids. For most people, it’s a routine flight, but for him, it was a big deal. He’d spent years avoiding planes, canceling trips because of his fear of flying.

Grashow's love for his daughter and grandkids let him forget his fear of flying, and he began boarding planes despite the seven-hour journey. In 2000, Zoe moved across the country. As the post went viral on Reddit, several internet users chimed in to share their thoughts in to comment section. One Reddit user, u/lunaspice78, inquired, “You made that when you were 5? I´m 40 and I´m pretty sure my attempt at making a doll wouldn’t be nearly as good as yours was.” Another person, u/TheFiresinger, commented, “This nearly brought tears to my eyes ... what a wonderful act of generosity from your 5-year-old self.”

Several others recalled similar instances from their lives as one Reddit user, u/punkyfish10, said, “My dad always kept this drawing I made of him and me at his office at work until he retired. He just passed away last week, and I would give the whole world for one more visit from him, or even just a phone call.” Similarly, u/DoctorFusion shared, “When I was probably around 6ish, I had one of those bead crafting kits where you can make animals out of pony beads on string. I made my dad a pretty legit snake in red, white, and blue. His favorite colors. 22 years, and about 5 cars later, my dad still has it hanging from his rear-view mirror. The colors are all gone, but he told me he would never take it down because it means so much to him.”

Several others in the comment section of the post shared similar stories. Meanwhile, Zoe also shared that she and her dad always had a special bond. Growing up, she revealed she spent hours in his studio, which was filled with material, and she used to craft things in there while Grashow worked. On the other hand, Grashow still remembers the trip for which the doll was made. It was when he had to travel to Cuba to help set up a ballet. Although it's not a big deal, for someone afraid of flying, it was very scary.