My Unsung Hero

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...

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...

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...

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...

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.

After making a series of unfortunate choices, Jay found himself sitting in a jail cell, alone and hopeless. But a fellow inmate's words brought him comfort, and changed the course of his life.

A few years ago, John’s daughter developed a sudden illness, later discovered to be a condition known as PANDAS, and for months she could barely leave the house. On the first warm day of the year, he brought her...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

After her husband died, Connie received unexpected advice from an insurance agent: when people offer help, "let them."