My Unsung Hero

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.

After waiting in the ER for what felt like hours, Julie wondered if she was ever going to get the help she needed. Then, just as her pain became unbearable, a stranger stepped up to help — saving Julie's life in the process.

After Jean was badly injured in a mountaineering accident, she had to hike through treacherous conditions to get to the trailhead. By the time she arrived, her condition was deteriorating quickly. But a stranger stepped in and went above and beyond to ensure she survived.

When Olivia was in sixth grade, her teacher planned a Father’s Day softball game for students and their dads. But Olivia's father had recently been moved into a hospital with a rare case of both Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, and couldn't be there. A young man named Bob showed up in his place.

Two months before their daughter started college, Barbara's husband unexpectedly died. On the day Barbara moved her daughter into her dorm, she was hit hard by the realization that she was a single parent. But an unsung hero stepped in and made sure the move-in was seamless.

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.