What's the kindest thing a stranger has done for you?

This thread has made me bawl my eyes out, genuinely heartfelt sobs, so much grief and loss in our world and all around small things try to help ease that pain.

DH once watched an elderly gentleman stagger into a few wheels bins on our pavement, couple of neighbours ignored him but DH went out to see if he was ok. Turns out he was taken poorly and was trying to get home. dH called his son, gave him water and took him home.

The ánethetist who was kind to me during my CS with my second DD who fought my corner when I said I had to hold her right away.

The lady in the library who sat and read dd1 a book when dd2 was very little and had just thrown up everywhere and dd1 was trying to escape out of the doors.

When I was a student in Edinburgh I was woken on a Sunday morning, after a no doubt boozy night out, by a young man at the door. He handed me my purse, which I had obviously dropped somewhere the night before. It had cash, cards etc in it, all still there. I was so taken aback and caught on the hop that I just thanked him briefly, and off he went. I have always wished I could see him again to thank him properly (there is a movie in there somewhere)

This thread has made me cry, what lovely lovely people there are... Makes me wanno go and do a random act of kindness now - wouldn't it be good if this could snowball..?

To the two women who donated eggs, somewhere in Notts, 7 and 10 years ago respectively. I thank you every day

I'll add one
Quite a few years ago I was on a night out and my dad was picking me up, I was walking to meet him and took a short cut down a dark alley. Out of nowhere someone grabed me and pushed me against a wall and I fell to the floor, I think he was trying to grab my bag. I heard someone running towards us. A fist came out of nowhere and sent the attacker flying to the ground and knocked him out cold. The fist belonged to the local big issue seller (Darren in Truro) he picked me up off the ground and basically carried me out the alley, I was in shock and very drunk. He made sure I had all my things and walked with me to where I was being picked up and phoned the police to let them know what had happened. I was running a coffee shop at the time and gave him free drinks and food for the rest of the time I was running it.

MNHQ please move this to Classics.
Pretty please.
Have some and and while you consider

My dd2 stopped breathing whilst dp was looking after her, he couldn't get through for an ambulance, ran to our local shop and 2 amazing women drove him and our baby girl to hospital 2 minutes round the corner. One of them came to her funeral. Lovely kind women who didn't have to do what they did.

Lovely thread.

I'm a bit of a country bumpkin but once had to go to a meeting in a busy part of a large city and couldn't find my way. I asked a homeless man for directions. He walked with me, refusing any offers of payment. When I came out of the meeting a couple of hours later, he was sitting on the pavement outside - he'd waited so that he could guide me back safely. Fortunately, I was able to buy him a drink and a burger.

Yesterday in another city, I was in a card shop when an elderly woman asked if they sold small packets of tissues. They didn't, and couldn't suggest where she should try. I had an unopened packet in my bag and gave them to her. Such a tiny thing, but she was really grateful as if I'd given her a fortune.

I hope this becomes a classic so that I can re-read it whenever I need a lift!

Just remembered another one.

When I was at uni I was a bit wild, went out one night and picked up a random guy, got in a taxi back to his which was miles away and cost a fortune.

I sobered up a bit on the way and realised I didn't want to go in, so I dropped the guy off at his house, closed the taxi door and realised I couldn't pay to get myself home in the taxi. I asked the driver to take me to the nearest tube, but he said he had a daughter my age and was so pleased I'd decided not to go with a guy I clearly didn't know that he'd make sure I got home safely. He drove me all the way back to my house on the other side of London free of charge.

I don't think the size of the deed makes a difference to it's value Audit. Whatever we do makes a difference somehow, to someone and that is all that matters, whether it be a smile at a stranger on the street or a kidney to a person on the transplant list.

I try to live by 'treat others as you would like to be treated'. I've done lots of things that others would say are great/generous etc but for me, the reward is feeling like I've made that difference and helped ease someone's path a little.

Equally, my generosity has been repaid by others' kindness to me and that's something that I will never take for granted

Thanks OP, this is the best thread EVER

I know there are some scumbags around but I believe most people are honest and kind. There are some wonderful stories here. I like how some people have been touched by the smallest things.

My Mum passed away suddenly and I wasn't there. My brother was and I did everything in my power to get to him as fast as possible. It cost me a fortune and I had two flights and a connection to make and when I finally collapsed on to the second plane an air hostess walked past me, handed me a pile of tissues, squeezed my shoulder and said just to call her if I needed anything. I had said nothing to her and she didn't know me from Adam. Presumably my pain and grief were written all over my face. I couldn't even speak to thank her but that little squeeze of the shoulder will stay with me always. It really is the little things.

specialmagiclady

that sounds like a glorious night

glad you got home safe

I got terribly terribly drunk once in a well-known Central London private members' bar and ended up chatting to well-known transsexual magician, Fay Presto.

At chucking out time, she took me to the door and pointed me in the direction of the tube. I staggered off in the opposite direction. Whereupon she told me to come back, got her car and drove me all the way home, several miles out of her way. She had a lovely convertible Triumph Herald with shiny red leather seats. We listened to accordion music.

And like the baby in the Elephant and the Bad Baby who never once said please, I never once said thank you.

.

I do try to do a good deed for others too, but, they are such little things so not worth mentioning.

Two and a half years ago my beloved FIL was involved in an accident and airlifted to a major trauma centre the other side of London. DH was looking after the children, called me to come home for the girls so he could go to his dad.

I couldn't reach my mum, got BIL to collect DS from his holiday club, and asked a friend to mind DD1 until I could reach mum so I could take DH. I planned on taking DD2 (6 months) with me. My friend took both girls, said would keep them overnight if needed. I thrust assorted baby stuff at her, then gave her my keys in case she needed anything for them.

We managed to find a grotty car park near the hospital, parked and checked their hours. Later we needed to retrieve the car before the car park closed. I walked back (leaving DH, MIL and BIL to a case conference with FIL's doctors) , paid, then the attendant asked if we were at the hospital? When I confirmed this, he told me to leave the car where it was, explaining that they close the entrance, but never the exit, so I could come back whenever. I offered to pay the charges until they closed, but he waved it away. It was wonderful to have one less thing to worry about.

When we lost one of our twin boys born prematurely at 23 weeks, we were devastated and barely able to string two words together. A charity based at the hospital where he was born helped us to take care of everything that needed taking care of. I know it was her 'job' but she was a complete stranger who showed us such compassion, did everything we asked her to, held our hands through all the dreadful paperwork and arrangements and took care of much of it herself.
Then there was the MW who delivered him, who came in on her day off to come with me to the memorial service as I wasn't allowed to leave the ward unescorted.
There hasn't been a day since when I haven't thought of both these women.

I'm lucky enough to have a few of these that spring to mind:

When I was pregnant with DD1, I fainted on a busy train into London. A doctor and a midwife happened to be sitting in the carriage and looked after me; several other people sitting nearby checked up on me later in the journey, and brought water and sweets. I was so touched.

Also, when DD1 was 2 and I was very pregnant with DD2, my car skidded on the M6, hit the central reservation and spun across the carriageway into the hard shoulder. It was still raining, I had struggled up this muddy embankment carrying DD1 who was getting upset. I was in shock but a lovely man had seen the crash and stopped, came to check I was ok, brought us a blanket and waited with us till the police arrived. As soon as they did, he quietly left and in all the commotion I never got the chance to properly thank him.

This is the last one: Just a few months ago, I was in a car park in a bad area. I'd been walking with bags full of shopping, buggy etc, DD1 was being a handful, but I'd finally got us all in the car and was about to start the engine when a really scary looking man with a dog on a string came up to my window. My immediate thought was to lock my doors, or that he was going to ask me for money or was pissed - he genuinely did look homeless, & he may have been. I did wind down my window and he was bringing me my wallet which he had seen me drop halfway across the car park. My faith in human nature was well and truly confirmed, and it was a lesson to me not to be so quick to judge

Going on holiday to Tenerife a few years ago we managed to get on the wrong coach at the airport and then leave my DDs bag on it when we went to find the right coach. By the time I realised and ran back the first coach had gone, the travel reps were less than helpful and my DD was really upset - the bag contained her nintendo ds (a joint xmas present from us and her grandparents). When we were checking into our hotel a couple who had been on the first coach turned up with the bag. They had remembered where we said we were going and despite it being late at night had walked across the town to give it to us. Sadly we didn't get their names (should have got them to write them down but had gone into brain meltdown by this time) and we didn't see them again during the holiday. We would have liked to take them for a meal to say thank-you properly. If you are out there thank-you so so much.

i dont know if its the most kindest act but their was a man outside the local shops collecting for kidney research. i gave him all the change i had and a spare bar of chocolate to keep him going :)

Last winter, broke my arm, couldn't drive. Walked across Richmond Park to Asda ( about 2 miles each way), nearly back back carrying shopping, in good arm, bright pink plaster on bad arm. Realised my purse had fallen out of my rucksack somewhere... Asked a cyclist who was cycling in the direction I had come if he could look out for it, and if he found it if he could hand I it into the tea wagon near Pen Ponds. The set out to trudge bag with shopping to look for it...
Lovely cyclist went off, and came back with it, having looked for it, and gone out of his way to bring it back.... Lovely, lovely man.

Lovely thread!
I always try to help with buggies and stuff where necessary - not really a random act of kindness, just common humanity and decency, I think but very nice to be at the receiving end of.

A couple of times being tearful in London after saying goodbye to people, randomers on the Tube took time to check I was ok.

When feeling really, really sad about a recent bereavement a while back, I went to get my lunch and the lady gave me free chocolate as I looked sad! Was a tiny thing but it was very nice of her.

Freecycling rather than selling our travel system made me feel very nice!
I know I've been on the receiving end of bigger things but they escape me just now...