Inara Amarsi (centre) meets Florence Smith (right) with her mom, Shamsha Amarsi (left). (Photo: Craig Robertson, Toronto Sun)

Putting the horrific past behind her, 5-year-old Inara Amarsi reached out yesterday to embrace the kindness of a stranger who sent her a toy after she had been thrown off a bridge by her father. Still wearing a neck brace, Inara travelled to a Dufferin St. and Eglinton Ave. seniors' residence to thank 86-year-old Florence Smith for a giant stuffed bunny Smith sent to her when she was in hospital battling for her life.

Smith greeted Inara, her mother Shamsha Hassam and her uncle Altaf Nooralli on the sidewalk outside her residence Sunday and then joined the family for dinner.

"She's doing much better now," a smiling Hassam said with regards to her daughter's condition.

Inara gave Smith a yellow gift bag of flowers and a small angel figurine as a thank-you for Smith's kind gesture.

"We're not sure why (Smith) did what she did, but it was very kind," Nooralli said while Smith, Inara and Hassam spoke in the lobby.

Smith said she had no choice but to reach out. "When you have a love like that for children, and you've been a mother yourself, it's something you have to do."

The spirit of kindness evident yesterday was in stark contrast to the horrific incident that happened to the girl just over one month ago.

Inara was thrown from the Don Mills overpass onto Hwy 401 March 6 by her suicidal father, Alnoor Amarsi, who jumped to his death shortly after. Hassam and Amarsi were in a bitter custody battle over Inara.

"She still has no idea what really happened to her. She keeps seeing herself on TV and it's hard," Nooralli said.

Hassam has been working with her daughter and relatives to reply to all the get-well cards and gifts they've been receiving -- some from as far away as Phoenix, Ariz.

"She's getting back into the routine of things," Nooralli said. "She's not back in school yet but is doing her homework, watching TV and napping."