James Culp, from Newport, North Carolina, recently went viral after sharing that he took a second job at the local Food Lion in order to spend more time with his daughter, Astyn, while she works. Culp is a retired marine who now works as the director at a child development center on the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point where he serves the military children who live on base. After Culp retired from the military, his wife was planning to retire with him the following year, but she then got pregnant with their daughter, Astyn. James had to step into the role of a stay-at-home dad where he and Astyn became inseparable. “Being around the military, in a way, we weren’t near family at all … and I wasn’t working, so I wasn’t really making friends where we were. It was really was just [me] and Astyn,” said James in an interview with Fox News.

While Astyn worked her job at the deli and bakery counter at Food Lion, she would often come home and tell her dad about the struggles she faced at work which involved people not showing up and having to take over their tasks. James decided he wanted to help ease the struggles his daughter was facing at work and to spend more time with her by applying to work at the Food Lion. “As long they’ll have me, and I can work the same shift as Astyn … and help her and make her life easier, I’ll be there,” said Culp. “I just stand and watch sometimes. It’s one of those dad things where you are impressed and proud and all those adjectives,” added James. “I could not be more proud and I could not love her more.”