Mystery man who gave mum heart-warming note on train 'wanted to put a smile on her face'Ken Saunders, 50, praised Sammie Welch's parenting skillsThe mystery train passenger who handed a young mother a heart-warming note praising her parenting skills along with a ^5 note has been revealed.
Ken Saunders, 50, said he just wanted to tell Sammie Welch ^what a great mum she is^ and put a smile on her face.
He certainly succeeded last Thursday, causing the 23-year-old to start a campaign to find the kind stranger on social media to thank him personally.
She was travelling on a First Great Western train from Birmingham to Plymouth with her three-year-old son, Rylan, when he handed her the note and money saying they fell out of her handbag as he got off at Bristol.
It said: ^Have a drink on me, you're a credit to your generation, polite and teaching the little boy good manners. P.S. I have a daughter your age, someone did the same for her once. Hope when she has children she is as good a mother as you.^
It was signed simply ^man on train at table with glasses and hat^.
Ms Welch said she did not realise what it was at first but was touched by the message, not knowing that Mr Saunders was watching her reaction on the platform.
^I honestly couldn^t believe it because I genuinely thought it was something that had fallen out my bag so I held it and said thank you, then looked at it and looked at the guy next to me, as if to say: ^Are you reading what I^m reading?^ she said. ^I couldn^t believe it, it was very overwhelming.^
The pair were reunited today in a video call on ITV^s Good Morning Britain today.
Ms Welch thanked her fellow passenger, saying she did not think he realised the ^amazing^ impact he had.
^I just wanted to put a smile on your face. It^s overwhelming really, I didn't think it would have this effect,^ said Mr Saunders.
He only realised his act of kindness had become national news when he opened Monday^s newspapers at home in Brinkworth, Wiltshire, to see the story.
Mr Saunders said he was struck by Miss Welch^s politeness, playing with her son and telling him to cover his mouth while coughing and say ^pardon^ instead of ^what^.
^I just thought it was wonderful. Youngsters today are much maligned and I thought, here^s a great role model, a great mother and this is lovely,^ he added. ^As I got towards Bristol and took my train ticket out, there was a five pound note there and a scrap of paper. As a spur of the moment thing I just thought I^m going to tell her what a great mum she is and hopefully put a smile on her face.^