My Unsung Hero

Dan was born with a cataract that left him mostly blind in one eye. 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. A young man named Bob showed up in his place.

Two months before her daughter started college, Barbara’s husband died. On move-in day, an unsung hero helped carry her through it.

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.