Flying alone with my baby, Ethan, after losing my husband, David, was already overwhelming. As Ethan cried nonstop due to teething pain, I did everything to comfort him, but nothing worked. The other passengers’ glares burned into me, and then the man beside me snapped.

“Take your screaming baby to the bathroom and stay there,” he yelled loud enough for the whole cabin to hear. Humiliated, I gathered my things and started down the aisle, ready to hide in the restroom, when a tall man in a suit stopped me. With kind eyes, he guided me to an empty seat in business class. In the peaceful space, I calmed Ethan, who finally fell asleep.

What I didn’t know was that this stranger then sat in my old seat—right beside the rude man. As the man loudly complained about me, the stranger revealed his identity: he was the man’s boss, Mr. Coleman. With the entire cabin listening, he told the rude passenger that his behavior showed his true character. When the plane landed, Mr. Coleman calmly said, “You’ll hand in your badge and laptop. You’re fired.”

As we descended, Mr. Coleman stopped by my seat and said softly, “You’re doing a good job.” Those words melted my doubts and reminded me that kindness exists—and sometimes, justice comes from the most unexpected places.