Photo of Pennsylvania father sleeping under son's hospital crib goes viral

A touching photo of a Pennsylvania father sleeping by his sick child in the hospital has gone viral. Andre Palmer, who had just worked an overnight shift, was photographed by his wife sleeping under his son's crib at York Hospital Pediatrics on 5 July.

According to ABC13, Palmer went to be by his 20-month-old son's side in the hospital after ending his shift. "I thought to myself after working all night he didn't have to come to the hospital," Palmer's wife Amy said. "He could have went home to sleep."

Amy Palmer said their son's room was equipped with a crib and a sleeper chair. She and her son, who was suffering from "an asthma attack I just couldn't break", were asleep when her husband entered the room but she did not realise he was there until later, Fox News reported.

"He could have asked me to get up, but he didn't because he knew how tired I was," Amy said. "He's a great man."

When she woke up, she found her husband sleeping under their son's crib. She then took a snap of the endearing view and posted it on Facebook.

"This is a picture of a hard working man dedicated to his family!! After working all night third shift, he's right here with his son who is in the hospital. He's so tired but he's here!! Father of the year award goes to Andre Palmer!!! I love you more than words baby," she captured the photo. The snapshot went viral, with 5.4k reactions and 560 shares at the time of publishing.

Amy later revealed she did not leave her husband below the crib for too long. "I didn't leave him there, I quickly got him up into the bed/chair I was sleeping in, but not before taking the picture that I felt spoke volumes about the good person, husband and father he truly is," she wrote.

The couple's young son AJ is "doing much better" and is back at home. Amy posted an updated photo of the tyke receiving his last treatment following "a long and exhausting day".