Toddler hugs pizza guy out of the blue — mom later learns he had just lost his daughter

Ryan Catterson, a pizza delivery guy, rang the doorbell expecting a routine handoff, but then a toddler came running, and everything changed. Lindsey Sheely, the baby's mom, posted her son, Cohen's, beautiful interaction with Ryan and the even more heartwarming revelation that followed. The doorcam footage was shared on Facebook in 2020.

After delivering the pizza, when Ryan turned to leave, Cohen, 2, Lindsey's son, came running towards him and gestured for a hug. The delivery guy, who understood what he wanted, immediately hugged the toddler. Seconds later, Lindsey also came outside to hold Cohen, and Ryan left following a brief interaction. "Last night, when we got our pizza (and ranch) delivered, Cohen ran out to hug the delivery guy and tried to give him a kiss, too," she wrote. When Lindsey saw the doorcam footage, she shared it online, and surprisingly, her post reached the pizza delivery guy. Ryan texted Lindsey and told her how her son's innocent gesture meant more than just a hug to him. "We found out that Ryan unexpectedly lost his daughter recently, and that hug from Cohen was a little blessing from God," she said. Lindsey, an ardent believer in divine appointments, said Ryan was the one to deliver their pizza because he had to meet Cohen. Moving on, she also asked people to help raise funds for Ryan to help him cover his daughter's funeral costs. "After losing my daughter this past week, it touched me because it was like she was there. It really just meant a lot to me," 6 ABC Action News quoted Ryan. 

Cohen had never met Ryan before, let alone known his struggle, but his instinct to hug him says a lot about how special children are. It also challenges the popular notion that kids don't sense strong emotions. To understand it better, researchers experimented to see how toddlers react when something goes wrong. They found that the babies showed two kinds of emotional reactions. While they were tense and frustrated, they were also eager to fix the problem, showing their empathetic side. Meanwhile, reacting to the video, Alexa March commented, "This gave me goosebumps. I lost my 4-year-old niece almost a year ago, and ironically, her name was Ryan. I sincerely believe this was God's way of telling her daddy 'hello.' He also gave him a much-needed hug to let him know his baby is ok and in heaven. Thank you to this family who shared this video. You have given me hope when I needed it most! Xoxo." Dens Marquez wrote, "Small acts of love and kindness can change the world! Such a sweet little boy! The parents raised the child very well. It was a heartfelt moment! Also, my deepest condolences to the family of Ryan! Sending my virtual hug to Cohen!"

Saptak Ghosh wrote, "Lots of love for you and everyone in your family from India, Lindsey Sheely. This is so, so heart-touching. We should all be inspired by the children around us. The way they value everything is truly amazing. I love you, Cohen! Hope to meet you someday!" Jody Andersen Cruz wrote, "Amazing little guy. It's so unbelievable how children sense people's feelings. Bless your heart, and prayers to the family that lost their loved one. My heart goes out to you and your family!" Echoing the sentiments, Susie Templeton-Brown wrote, "You all didn’t know. But God knew he needed a hug and sent him. That little boy would have hugged him again had Mom not stopped him. But I understand, he’s a stranger. I wish he could have hugged him one more time."

You can follow Lindsey Sheely on Facebook for lifestyle content.

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