My Unsung Hero

In 1968, when Terry was four, she and her two young siblings were left briefly in the car by themselves. Her one-year-old brother accidentally hit the gearshift, and the car began to roll downhill, toward oncoming traffic. Then a young man rushed over.

On New Year’s Eve of 2022, Eleanor’s car broke down at the post office. Over the next 40 minutes, five different people came over to lend a hand. One woman followed Eleanor home for tea, and they remain friends today.

Glenna’s father was a firefighter for years. Early in his career, he almost died in a house fire. The man who saved his life turned into a forever friend — and someone Glenna’s family will always cherish.

One evening after class, Ellen took public transportation home. It was a quiet night, and when she got off at her stop, there weren’t many people around. Then, she heard something that alerted her to potential danger.

More than 40 years ago, Paul’s father began to show signs of cognitive decline. As a result, he lost job after job. When his father was formally diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, a small local firm made him an offer that helped restore his dignity.

Years ago, on a flight home, Caitlin and the man next to her started chatting. She told him that ever since the 9/11 attacks, she had been nervous to fly. Then the man leaned over and told her something she still tells her children today.

When David’s wife fell ill, a friend went above and beyond to help the family cope.

When Melissa’s seven-year-old son was hit by a pickup truck, a stranger ran across the street to help.

When Cara Beth Rogers was studying abroad in college, her brother, Luke, died in an accident. On the plane ride home, a stranger made her overwhelming grief a bit easier to bear.

When Claire was a server at a high-end restaurant, she accidentally left cork in a customer’s expensive bottle of wine. But instead of acting annoyed, he handled it with grace.