When I got to the tire shop, they put on brand-new Goodyear tires.
I asked what happened to the old tires I was supposed to receive. The shop owner said the “old tires” story was just to get me into the shop. Mr.
Neighbor had bought me a full set of new tires instead of the old ones he said I could have.
4.
I had a stroke a couple of years ago. I was in the midst of depression and confusion. My insurance company would routinely strand me after doctor visits.
After one doctor visit, I waited 9 hours for them to pick me up until my phone was dead.
I was lucky to find an all-night ready care across the street.
I was absolutely out of my mind without a way to get home, 30 miles away.
The doctor and staff actually paid for my ride home and fed me pizza and water. I still send them presents every year since then.
5.
A homeless man gave me the last few coins I needed to get on the bus because I was turning in my exam project with a deadline. I tried to give him something out of my bag, but he refused.
He said, “Next time you see a homeless person, give them the money back.”
6.
When I was about 8, I went to London with my family, and we visited a big, exciting arcade. I had never been to one before, so it was thrilling, and I got to play a fair amount of games (though not a lot, as it was expensive).
At the end, we went to exchange our game tokens for prizes, but I didn’t really have enough for anything good. A group of adults had a ton of tickets (far more than I had) and gave them all to me, which meant I could get a yo-yo.
It just so happened to be a huge trend at school at the time.
As a child, I thought it was the most amazing thing.
7.
When I was homeless, a random lady took me and my cat into her house. I’ll never forget it. She cooked meals that were so good, and I felt like a part of her family.
I played with her son and their dog.
It was a short stay, but I’ll remember it forever. I owe her something. I hope I find her again one day, so I can give her money or show her what I’ve accomplished in life, to prove she didn’t help me for nothing.
8.
I was walking about 4 miles on a very hot day in thick black clothes.
A guy saw me sweating buckets and red as a tomato and asked if I needed a ride. I said no because I thought I was almost home, but I had miscalculated the distance; I still had one mile left.
9.
As a kid, I went with my mom to the grocery store, and I headed straight for the arcade area to play a game. I only had one quarter, and the machine stole my money without giving me a play.
I went to the customer service area of the store and told them what happened, but they said it wasn’t really their machine, so they couldn’t help.
I wasn’t even trying to play again; I just wanted my money back.
As I turned around, there was this old lady smiling, holding a quarter, and she handed it to me. I was so happy that I made it my mission to always help someone if it’s within my means and ability to do so.
10.
I was crying, not to say sobbing, while walking outside in the pouring rain. I had just had a fight with the guy I was dating, so I left his house in tears and was about to call a friend.
A woman saw me and asked if I was okay.
I told her I was going to call a friend and would be fine.
She gave me her address so that, in case I needed it, I would have a place to go! This was not my own city, so I had no friends or family around. It felt really good to have a stranger care about me.
Thanks to that stranger for making me feel less alone!
11.
I was 17 when my mom was in the hospital after a very serious surgery. There were complications that night, and it really pushed me into a bad place. I ended up curling up in a ball in some random hallway, just bawling my eyes out.
A nighttime janitor found me and sat with me for a little while, which really helped me calm down.
Some time after he left, a man and his daughter (probably about 5 years old) passed by me. Then, about a minute later, the little girl came running back to me and gave me a lollipop. It’s been years since that night, and I still tear up when I think about it.
A little bit of kindness can go a long way.
12.
When I was maybe 4 or 5 years old, I made friends with another kid in an airport, and he was playing with a couple of glued-together Lego cars. That kid and I played for about an hour with those things, and when it was time to go our separate ways and board the plane, the kid insisted I keep one of the cars.
While I insisted he should keep them, he said it was proof that we were friends. To this day, roughly 20 years later, I still have that car packed up in my childhood mementos box.
The most powerful examples of kindness often come from our parents.
In these remarkable stories, we share moments that prove our parents may not be actual superheroes like those we cheer for in movies, but they are certainly close enough.
