Myles Eckert could have bought a video game with the $20 he found in a Cracker Barrel's parking lot near Toledo, Ohio, but instead, the 8-year-old used the money to pay for Lt. Col. Frank Dailey's lunch. Why?
"Because he was a soldier," Myles told CBS Evening News, "and soldiers remind me of my dad."
Myles' dad, Army Sgt. Gary "Andy" Eckert Jr., was killed in Iraq on May 8, 2005, according to the Toledo Free Press. Myles was 4 weeks old at the time. He's doing his best to honor his dad's memory.
With the $20, he also included a note, reading:
Dear Soldier, my dad was a soldier. He’s in heaven now. I found this $20 in the parking lot when we got here. We like to pay it forward in my family. It’s your lucky day! Thank you for your service. Myles Eckert, a gold star kid.
UPDATE Wednesday, March 9: Myles and his sister, Marlee, have decided to use the attention from Myles' story to pay it forward. They've started a campaign to raise money for military families across the country. You can visit their fundraising site here if you're interested in donating.
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