My Unsung Hero

After Annabelle was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, a volunteer with the same diagnosis offered advice that changed the way she saw the future.

John was languishing at his job when a woman in HR reminded him of his potential. A favorite from 2022.

In high school, Susan had a stutter, and was embarrassed to speak in front of her class. Then her 12th grade English teacher told her something that changed how she saw herself.

When Solitaire was 18, she had a stroke. When she got to the hospital, doctors and nurses accused her of being on drugs. Then, her unsung hero arrived, and ensured she got the care she needed.

During her freshman year of college, Jennifer felt like the world was collapsing around her. One particularly bad day, a stranger stepped in and gave her hope for the future.

During a family trip to New York City, Lia's father lost his balance on a crowded subway. The stranger who caught him became a role model for how she hopes to respond when others need help.

In high school, Stephen had a romantic relationship with another boy. He didn't consider himself to be gay, but when he moved away to college, the loss of the relationship devastated him. One particularly difficult night, he sought out the company of a roommate who, instead of pressuring Stephen to acknowledge his sexuality, simply listened with a nonjudgmental ear.

After learning she was a candidate for brain surgery, Rebecca boarded a flight home overwhelmed. The stranger beside her turned out to be exactly the person she needed.

After becoming a mom, Missy sough inpatient treatment for depression. It was a vulnerable experience, and she found it difficult to engage in group therapy. But when she did start to open up, the most unexpected person reached over to hold her hand as she cried.

Mike's wife was dying after years of cancer treatment, and she could no longer recognize the people around her. Then her longtime chemotherapy nurse arrived.

Darrell grew up in an Army family. They moved regularly, which meant he was often lonely and a target of bullying. In the sixth grade, at yet another new school, an eighth grader started picking on him. But right before the kid hit him, another classmate stepped in and changed Darrell's life forever.

After chemotherapy left Pat without hair, she relied on a wig to feel like herself. The first day she went without it, a stranger in a convenience store gave her a compliment that Pat still carries with her.

After having open heart surgery, Barb was terrified of the immense pain she'd likely have to endure during her recovery. Then a nurse stepped in to help, and changed the rest of Barb's life in the process.

This week, a favorite episode from the archives: Bethany was feeling overwhelmed as a single mom with three small children. But one small act of kindness by a neighbor let her know she'd be okay.

More than forty years ago, at a stoplight in a new city, Rebecca sat crying. She felt trapped in a relationship she didn’t know how to leave. Then, a stranger in a neighboring car offered a gesture of kindness she'll always remember.

At 15, Everett was about to steal a shirt at the mall when a girl saw him and whispered, “It’s not worth it.” He stopped, and decades later, he still thinks about that moment.

A few years ago, John’s 12-year-old daughter developed a sudden illness, and for months she barely left the house. On the first warm day of the year, he wheeled her outside in a small wagon. A man drove by, rolled down his window, and said something John will never forget.

After a few weeks of studying abroad in France, Holly felt overwhelmed and homesick. But an encounter with a stranger at the post office changed everything, and led to a decades-long friendship.

Dan was born with a cataract that left him mostly blind in one eye. As a kid, he was painfully self-conscious about it. At baseball practice one day, his coach noticed he was losing sight of the ball and helped him adjust. Fifty years later, it’s still a small act of kindness Dan has never forgotten.

In the 1990s, Ana Maria's father drove a taxi in Miami. One repeat passenger had a ritual: at the end of every ride, he’d give her father $20 for Ana Maria to “buy something nice.” One day, the man pulled out a $50 bill — the exact amount she needed to apply to her dream school.