My Unsung Hero

On the day her divorce was finalized, Kristi set out alone on a mountain hike. When she broke down on the trail, a stranger asked if she needed a hug — and helped her find the strength to keep going.

After a car clipped her bike in San Francisco, Joann suddenly found herself laid out on the asphalt. But a kind and whimsical hero stopped to help her get back on her feet.

In 2007, Larry helped his brother Marty move to Utah. Marty had terminal cancer, and he and his wife wanted to be near family in the final days of his life. When they arrived, neighbors and church members — strangers — had transformed Marty’s new house into a warm home.

Today, we bring you a bonus episode from the team at StoryCorps, whose mission is record, preserve, and share the stories of Americans from all backgrounds and beliefs. We'll hear from people who refused to give up on someone — even when the odds were long, or when it seemed like the person might be lost forever.

Shortly after being diagnosed with breast cancer, Gillian realized she had a day left to choose a health plan that could make or break her treatment. She reached out to her employer's HR representative, who not only helped with choosing a plan, but set a lifelong example of what kindness looks like.

Jolena was going through a difficult divorce and facing financial hardship. One day, a co-worker surprised her with a gift that she's never forgotten.

When her purse went missing on a trip to Chicago, Lavonne panicked. What she didn’t know: two strangers had already stepped in to help.

Midway through her first semester of college, Silvana realized she didn't have enough money to finish out the school year. A professor stepped in to help in a surprising way.