I was already having a bad day when my boss asked me to stay late and cover for a coworker who had an emergency. I couldn’t say no. Ended up being the last one to leave the office past 10 pm. It was raining heavily and I couldn’t find any cabs at all. The streetlight also went out with impeccable timing. It was DARK. There were no friends or family I could call for help in the city.
About 40 minutes later, a car stopped in front of me. A man yelled, “Quick, get in!” It was a coworker from another department. We had spoken formally a few times before but that was pretty much it. He told me he was getting back from having dinner nearby when he saw me. I asked him to drop me off at the nearest subway but he refused. He dropped me off at my house even though he had to go in the other direction. He said, “My father taught me better than to leave a lady stranded on the side of the road.”
Even though this was years ago, I still remember it. Sometimes help comes from the person you least expect, a coworker who happens to drive by when you’re stranded, a friend who quietly raises $600 after a loss, or a stranger who pays for a drink because they can see how hard you’ve been working. These people didn’t have to step in, but they did. Here are 11 real-life stories where someone chose to brighten somebody’s day.
1.
My landlords in college offered to loan me money while I was three months behind on rent. I hadn’t paid all summer while I was out of town. I was completely broke and waiting for my student loans to come in.
When I got back to town I offered to pay them $100 a week until my student loans came in. But they wouldn’t hear of it; they wanted to make sure I had enough to eat. They were the sweetest old Italian couple.
My first year there, I would mail rent checks every month (before cell phones and online banking and all that). They would write back and ask how I was doing, so I got in the habit of writing a little letter with the rent to tell them how things were going.
When my student loans came in, I paid all my back rent and the rest of the year in advance. But I still wrote them a letter every month to let them know how I was doing because I know they liked that.
2.
My dentist’s aide. I have a fear of the dentist and for a long time I’d summon up the courage to make an appointment only to chicken out and cancel the day of.
Well after a couple years of evading I finally actually went in and on coming back for the actual procedure, the dental aide surprised me with a gift basket, hugged me and also gave me a handwritten letter that said how proud she was of me for coming back.
Made me cry honestly. I didn’t know her that well and was touched that she cared so much.
3.
This one girl in my class asked me why didn’t I go to take my graduation pictures, I said, “I don’t have the money,” she then said ok. After a minute she grabbed my arm and dragged me to the picture room and said, “Pay me back when you can.”
I don’t smile in pictures because I don’t want to smile if I’m not happy, but this time I genuinely smiled and looked at the camera as they took my graduation photo. I then learned that it’s not even her money that she gave, she borrowed it from someone else just to give it to me.
It’s the most kindness anyone has ever shown to me, and it still makes me tear up.
4.
A man in a full business suit with a briefcase handed me an umbrella in a torrential rain storm and wouldn’t take no for an answer. I still had to walk through Times Square to get to the train and I’m sure he got soaked going wherever he was going.
A couple of weeks later, I gave the umbrella to a lost girl in my neighborhood when it started to rain and she didn’t have one. Felt like the universe wanted it to happen.
5.
My Guinea pig was not well and I rushed her to the vet crying. They were so busy that they didn’t even see her in the room, they just took her to the back to look at her while I sat in the waiting room.
I was sitting next to this sweet older man who saw me crying badly. He started telling me all about where he grew up in Germany and how his family actually had a Guinea pig farm! He told me the funniest stories about his favorite ones and their names.
My Guinea pig ended up passing away so they brought her back to me in a little bag and before I left he gave me a hug and told me how sorry he was. I think about that all the time even though it was over 5 years ago.
6.
I grew up poor and when in elementary school, we went to the Boston Museum of Science. At the end of the day everyone goes to the gift shop to buy a keepsake etc. I didn’t have any money. My mom just sent me down with a bagged lunch.
A teacher whom I had never had but knew my sister bought me a gyroscope. It was the coolest thing ever. Thanks, Mrs. Swan!
7.
My office manager randomly called me on my first day off in months to tell me that my hours at work were being cut. Just casually dropping bad news lol.
I opened my bank app and tried to figure out which bills I could delay. I was sitting at a diner at the time. The waitress asked me if everything was ok. I told her yes but well I lied.
I think she figured it out by my expression because instead of bringing me a bill she told me it was “on the house” as I was their “lucky customer of the day”.
I’ve been going to the same diner and have known her for years. Never heard of a “lucky customer” promotion. She probably just put 1 and 1 together.
8.
I was in an awful traffic jam, we moved 10 km (22 Miles I think) between 15:00 and 17:30 o‘clock. My flight was at 18:00.
So I missed my flight and I was heartbroken because the next day was my cousin‘s prom and where I come from we have only one at the end of 12th grade. So it was really important, she was my sister, we grew up like twins and I could not imagine missing such a milestone.
My mom bought another ticket from a city 6 hours away. I traveled by train for 6 hours at night, took a taxi to the airport and I was supposed to land at the and I did not have any money in my home country’s currency. So I asked a stranger at the gate if I could give him some money for exchange, because I did not need more than was only 30 minutes late for the prom! Me and my cousin cried a lot and my uncle beginnig of the festivities, so no one could pick me up.
I had to use the Subway and I did not have any money in my home country’s currency. So I asked a stranger at the gate if I could give him some money for exchange, because I did not need more than 3€. He just gave it to me! Did not want my euros.
I was so thankful and was only 30 minutes late for the prom! Me and my cousin cried a lot and my uncle hugged me for solid 5 minutes.
9.
I was gonna buy a drink in dollar general because I have been working extremely hard for money. (Mowing lawns, a lit of yardwork and moving, estimated 200 pound logs etc.) And a lady in front of me realized I had been sweating heavily and said, “Hey, can I get that?”
I thought she wanted the drink at first and I was like, “What?” And she said, “Let me do my good deed of the day and buy that for you.” I said, “Are you sure?” She said yes and I thanked her like three times.
10.
I’ve been out of work for the last couple years due to health issues. I have 3 kids and this past Christmas was rough. I mean rough. Like I literally could not buy a single thing for any of my kids. Like not even a box of crayons. Nothing.
I felt like the world’s worst mother and I hated myself for being too sick to work. One of my friends found out about my struggles and gave a mutual friend $500 to give to me anonymously so I wouldn’t know where it came from so that I couldn’t try to give it back.
I literally just fell right to the floor and started bawling from gratefulness. Nobody in my life has ever done anything so meaningful for me.
I immediately went to the store and bought my kids all the gifts I could and they had a great Christmas. No words will ever be enough to express how grateful and thankful I am for what my friend did for me.
11.
We’re a family of 6. Mom raised us alone. Dad left and got remarried to a woman he used to work with. He never contacted us and we never talked about him. He sent us birthday cards every year, but we began struggling with money more than usual. Rent was due in 5 days and we couldn’t put estranged dad after 11 years to ask for rent money. Told him we were on a short never answered, though.
Mom lost her job recently. She’s the only one who works so we began struggling with money more than usual. Rent was due in 5 days and we couldn’t put together enough money.
I was scared we’d get evicted so I finally gave in and called my estranged dad after 11 years to ask for rent money. Told him we were on a short deadline. He didn’t even recognize me at first.
Then he said, “You dared to wait until the last moment to call me?” I thought that was it. I was already embarrassed and was about to hang up when he asked me for our landlord’s number. He said, “You, the landlord called Mom and said the rent was already paid in advance for the next 3 months by Mr. Robert. Mom was so relieved, she sat at the kitchen should’ve called sooner. You don’t need to have an emergency to call me.”
3 days later, the landlord called Mom and said the rent was already paid in advance for the next 3 months by Mr. Robert. Mom was so relieved, she sat at the kitchen table and cried for hours.