People in Moncton have responded to an Ontario woman's plea to visit her father's grave because she can't afford to travel to New Brunswick.

Frederick Kinsilla died on Nov. 5, 1973 and the Second World War veteran was buried in Moncton's Elmwood Cemetery.

On the 40th anniversary of his death, his daughter Jessie Kuehl of the Kingston, Ont. area, had a heavy heart. She couldn't afford to travel to visit his grave of her long-dead father.

Monctonians have responded to a plea from Frederick Kinsilla's daughter to visit his grave because she can't afford to travel from Ontario. (Jessica Doria-Brown/CBC) "I was only 13 when my dad passed away. The anniversary made me feel bad because I'm the age now he was when he died.

"I just felt so awful," said Kuehl. "It had been so long since anybody had been to visit him and I thought, `Maybe I can find one person.'"

Kuehl posted an ad online asking if anyone would visit the grave of her father.

"I hoped just maybe one person could swing by and tell him I missed him and that he wouldn't be forgotten," she said.

She couldn't believe it when her ad received more than 1,100 hits and dozens of people contacted her to tell her they would visit her father's grave. Some even took flowers.

"I never would have dreamed that that many people would reach out to a complete stranger," said Kuehl.

One of those who did was 18-year-old Jon Fagan.

His best friend died two years ago and he wanted to offer Kuehl his support.

"I know there's not many people out there right now who would do that, but I just thought well, …there's no reason why I shouldn't just reply to this person's ad and do this for them," said Fagan.

Fagan says he visited the grave to tell Kinsilla that his daughter misses him … and is still looking out for him.

As for Kuehl, the response has made her day.

"Oh, it makes me feel wonderful," she said. "I cried at some of the emails I got.

"How many people were out there? Busy people, like new mommy Amy mailed me and she's a new mom. And here she is taking the time to make the trek to a cemetery to visit a complete stranger. How wonderful is that?"

"Thank you again to Moncton. What a wonderful city."