Someone was just very kind to me

I was back at work after the birth of my DS, first time away from him, he hadn't been taking expressed milk and I was desperately worried about him and just wanted to get home. I missed my flight and easyjet were making me pay £75 to change to the flight. I was in tears, exhausted and just wanted to get home to see my son. A lovely, lovely businessman was at the next desk, just handed over the cash to the counter girl and walked off, waving away my protests. I cried, a lot. I made it home for bedtime, and I've never forgotten his kindness.

At Easter 2 years ago my DS was only a few months old and we'd had a difficult few weeks, with DS having been very suddenly taken poorly at 4 weeks old requiring emergency surgery and a hospital stay. I was exhausted and struggling to deal with everything that had gone on, as well as getting a hang of being a new mum. The sun was shining and I decided to take DS out for a little walk. I was singing 'You are my sunshine' to him as we walked along and he was happily gurgling away in his pram, as we passed a tiny church. A gentleman was taking a big box of daffodils into the church, presumably for the Easter service. He saw DS and I walking past, grabbed a little bunch of daffodils and gave them to me saying 'They are from the little one for you, to say thank you for being such a lovely mummy'. It was so unexpected and at a time I was feeling like I was on my knees with stress and exhaustion, and every time I looked at those flowers I got a real boost. Since then I have loved daffodils

Livness12 I'm so sorry to hear what you've been going through very recently in your life, and so glad that the kindness of strangers where there for you at your time of need. I hope you're in a better place and have the support you need
There are some true heros out there that don't even realise it.
Take good care of yourself xx

Aged 20, I went back to uni to do my second year exams very shortly after my mum was diagnosed with terminal cancer. I was so good at keeping on a happy act at home, but went back to my uni city and just fell apart. Went out for a walk around 1am on my own, ended up sitting against a wall in town and sobbing my heart out. A complete stranger, a few years older than me, walked past on his way home from the pub, then stopped and came back to me. Sat beside me, compared rubbish weekends, put his arm around me and just sat there. He gave me his number before I went home again. Save one other occasion in town, that was the only time I have ever met him in person. But we are still friends on FB 6 years later and it was so helpful that night.

On a very depressing note, just over two weeks ago I attempted to end my life in front of a train (or at least, very close to, I was around an inch away from the train). The driver sounded his horn and then stopped at the station, got out and came to find me. He said he couldn't let me just leave the station on my own, went back to the nearest carriage and asked to borrow a phone to call the police, begged me to let him call somebody to help. I was terrified that the train was delayed because of me, and he just told me he didn't care, it was late at night and there were very few people on the train anyway. He talked to me about having been a fireman and dealing with the aftermaths of suicides, and he was so compassionate and genuine, despite the trouble I had almost caused him. He managed to stall me there until almost when the police arrived, where I spent another two hours with two of the kindest, most caring and empathetic policemen I could have imagined.

This is such a depressing anecdote, so I do apologise! But the kindness from that train driver and from the two BTP officers was enough to save my life that night, and I do wish there was a way I could thank him.

This thread is really lovely!

When I was at uni I got far too drunk on a night out, wandered off alone and got on the last bus home. I fell asleep and missed my stop. The bus driver woke me up at the end of the line and I was totally disorientated, no money left and no clue where I was. He asked me where I lived, drove me (in the bus) to my front door, woke me up again and waited while I found my key and let myself in!

I have one but it was kind of doing their job, however it stays with us and made me cry.

Our dd was around 14 month old and had gone from sofa surfing to flat out running within a day. We didn't realise she could suddenly run before she had grabbed my newly made black coffee and splashed it over herself. At the hospital we had called ahead and the receptionist in a&e took us straight to a side room to be seen immediately. We were so grateful. That's when dh realised that she was the same receptionist who had helped us 14 months earlier by taking us straight to a doctor when I started with pre eclampsia and had to be induced into labour. The midwives wouldn't see me and she went out of her way to make sure they took me in as I was 36.5 weeks pregnant. If it wasn't for her our baby may have died as the midwives didn't want me. Baby was born 2 days later at 37 weeks.

I have three acts of kindness I'll never forget

One was simple my mil had chemo and was losing her hair. My hairdresser works in your own home and I asked would she mind doing my MIL's even though it's in an area she doesn't normally work. She immediately agreed and refused to accept payment as she won't take money off anyone for that cut. She's got a customer in me for life

The 2nd I was lucky enough to play a minor part in. Just after Christmas while working selling insurance I got a call from a lady who wanted to insure a brand new car, it was the first time she was getting insurance in her own policy and we had specific deals that meant I could get her a cheapish policy. She started crying down the phone to me explaining that her mum had died in the September but had arranged as one last christmas present that a new car be delivered to her door on Christmas eve with a bow on top. The car was a thank you for all the love and care she'd shown her mum when she was dying. I immediately started crying and applied every discount I could think of and my boss saw what was happening to me and came over to check when I explained what was happening she applied all her discounts. I still get a little weepy thinking of that woman on the phone.

The final one makes me so proud of my sister, She and her friends arranged for christmas presents to be under the tree of friends of hers whose mum had died just before Christmas. Nobody had anything prepared and instead of them having an empty living room on what was bound to be their worst christmas ever they came downstairs on Christmas eve to find presents under the tree. We found out from other people that she was the ringleader

NotCitrus - thank you for posting as it has reminded me I'd forgotten all about my prescription and if I'd needed the medication without the new lot it wouldn't have been great.

I've left money in cash points half a dozen times. Every time, someone has called me back and given me the money - once this involved an older lady asking a young fit bloke to run after me as I'd got about 50 yards away.

The local GP receptionists are wonderful and help me fight through NHS bureaucracy to get care when I need it - a couple times in the last two years they've told me to just sit down and a doctor will see me in the next few minutes, saving me another trip to the A&E walk-in.

A friend lived with her violent partner. One night they were driving somewhere - he took her shoes to prevent her running away from the car. He stopped for petrol around 2am, long queue, and she legged it barefoot, with no idea where she was, eventually into residential streets. She met an elderly couple walking their dog, who took her home, gave her a bed, and she stayed about a week, as they helped her sort out admin and paid for new clothes and all sorts. They saved her life.

I love threads like these, restores my faith in human kindness.

When I was pregnant with DC1, and prone to fainting a lot, I fainted on a tube train, I was very early stages so no pregnancy evident, but a very wonderful lady helped me off, gave me some water, then used my phone to ring DH and tell him what had happened, and she waited with me until I was sure I felt better. I probably made her very late for work but she was so wonderful.

Almost 7 I was in town with my newborn DS2 in the pram, after dropping off my 2.5 year old DS1 at nursery for the morning. I'd rushed around doing a couple of errands - feeling exhausted after another sleepless night with the baby - and popped into my favourite coffee shop for a cup of coffee and a sit-down. The place was packed, but I managed to squeeze into a tiny table out the back, out of sight of the counter. The baby had just fallen asleep - I wanted to go and get my coffee but didn't want to leave him unattended in the pram (and also lose my seat in the only free table left.) I just sat there with tears welling up when a kind lady at the table next to me said: "can i help? Are you ok?" I told her the (now
-sounds-silly-bit-didn't-at-the-time) "problem." She kindly offered to keep an eye on the baby while I went to get a coffee and snack. I was SO grateful! We then chatted over coffee - she was a parent of two older children and recognised the 'sleepless nights' look and decided to reach out. Her small gesture of kindness has stayed with me since and now, when we bump into each other in the park or in town, we say hello and stop for a chat! Her name is Amanda.

Thought of one I had done for me- I was about 7 weeks pregnant with ds2 and myself and ds1 age 4 went to the supermarket. At the checkout I passed out- came around in the recovery position but could not see my son.
Then I was told he was in the canteen- an older couple had taken him in, bought him some chocolate buttons and a drink, so that he didn't have to see me passed out.
I will never forgot how grateful I was to them that day, and how the supermarket still made me pack my own shopping when I came around!!

Mine wasn't so much an act of kindness- I was in the que in Iceland doing some food shopping. More and more people stated to join the line, and the cashier rang the bell for a colleague. I turned around to speak to the lady behind me in a general whinge when I realised she was deaf. I don't know much sign language, but we managed to have a whole conversation about he line getting longer? Where we both lived and our children. Her signing and me in broken sign. As I left she came up to me and tapped my shoulder and just said (signed) thank you.
I told dp when I got home and he said I was probably the only person out that day she had had a full conversation with. I felt good after that and hoped that I had given her a smile that day.

Years ago when my DD1 was only 3 weeks old I went out for dinner with a women's group I was involved with. I was only 23, a 1st time mum and bf! When my DD needed to feed I went to the toilets to feed her, when came back the Italian maitre d came over and asked where I'd been and when I explained he said that i shouldn't feel uncomfortable and not to do that again. Then just as my dinner arrived my DD started crying and fussing and he came over and just said he would hold her while I ate and he took her and walked around with her in his arms while he did his job and she was fussed over by half the restaurant while I got to eat my dinner in peace. I was so grateful both for him making me feel comfortable about feeding her and for allowing me to eat my dinner when I had been getting stressed and upset because I couldn't sooth her. I've never forgotten his kindness to an anxious young mum who was on the point of tears.

I do try and pay it back whenever I can. A few years ago I was walking my dog, another lady was badly bitten when a dog went for her own and she was trying to separate them. She needed to go to the hospital (fortunately really close to the dog park and my house) was bleeding badly and shaking from shock but obviously couldn't drive or take her dog there with her. One gentleman volunteered to take the lady to a & e and I volunteered to take her dog home with me and keep him until she could get him collected later that day. She was so grateful but it was nothing I was glad to help.

What a wonderful thread. I've just literally joined Mumsnet now so I can post on it.

When my DP and I were in France on holiday. We were staying in a big city but decided to get the bus to the beach for the day. However that evening we missed the final bus back to the city (the bus driver had given us the wrong timetable) ... so there were no more buses until the morning and we were stuck in this quite empty part of the countryside, mostly made up of holiday homes which were empty at that time of year, the shops and tourist cafes had closed up as it was the end of the day and there were very few people around...

So we began walking, looking for a shop where we could ask for the number of a taxi firm, knowing that there was no way we could walk all the way back to the big city as it was about 2 hours drive away, it would be getting dark soon and I was in trendy but uncomfortable flip flops. To top it off our plane home was the next day so of course I was starting to panic that we wouldn't make it back to the city in time for the flight...

After about half an hour of walking with no shops in sight we decide we have to try hitchhiking, which I have never done before and the thought of which embarrassed and terrified me. However quite quickly a lady pulls up in a nice car with her daughter. We explain the situation in our broken French and she tells us to get in and drives us to the next town, to a restaurant she owns. At this point she has to leave to take her daughter to an appointment but instructs her restaurant staff to sort things out for us, which they throw themselves into with gusto, phoning taxi companies to get quotes for a trip back to the city. Turns out the taxi ride would have been over 200 euros so at that point they change plan and help us to find a local cheap hotel to stay at so we can get the bus back instead the next morning. The restaurant is far too expensive for our budget so we try to thank the staff instead by giving them 20 euro (all the cash we have on us at the time) but they vehemently refuse to take it. I was in tears with relief by the end of it all, they were all so kind. And we made our plane

Bahhhhumbug it was your story about your lovely lad that made me write mine.

I've thought of another:

When I was in hospital after having ds (after xmisc & IVF & crashCsec)
I was sobbing on night 1 as a Consultant had come and told me he had a 'deformed mouth and would never speak' (those exact words)
( He had a tongue tie, corrected at 3, and never shuts up now...).

The lady opposite me( who'd been bluelighted in with her 4th after haemorrhaging at home, and had thus bumped me down the Csec queue, rightly so as a greater emergency), simply put her box of tissues around the curtain. I went and took it, and we held hands, just for 10 /20 seconds or so, but she somehow clasped both my hands with both hers and it was like a Benediction. She said (from behind the curtain): 'it will pass, it will be fine, you will love each other more than you can imagine'. It was in the manner of Julian of Norwich: ('All will be well, and all will be well and every kind of thing shall be well). Said so gently and so convincingly it felt like an Angel. With hindsight I was probably still high as a kite from all the C-Sec drugs and she just shoved a tissue at me and said something nice, but it felt incredible.

I will never forget her. I don't have a photo of my old lady.
(I think I only just realised!)
I do have a pic of that nice mum of 4 who got me through my first night with her kindness tho.

I listened, silently weeping, while a lady talked another lady's little boy down from a humongous tantrum in Boots. She was so supportive of this mum and he calmed down really quickly.

My friend (PE teacher) repaired one of her students trousers - she gave him a pair of tracksuit trousers to wear in the meantime and she sewed them during a lesson. She has a huge heart and does so much for her charges.

When my DD was 6 weeks old, I was driving alone up to in laws. What should have been a 3hr journey turned into a nightmare 6 due to dreadful traffic and my car suddenly conked out in the middle lane of the M1 with no warning and I somehow managed to glide into the hard shoulder.

A police car drove up and spotted me in a vulnerable position (by now the traffic was free flowing and fast) and two kind policemen pushed my car along to a safer 'police vehicles only' spot.

This was typical February weather and I called AA who said I was a priority. After waiting 45 minutes trying to keep hungry baby (exclusively BF) warm and standing up on verge of motorway, and still no sign of recovery vehicle, an angel appeared..

This chap in an Audi breakdown vehicle pulled up behind my (Audi) and smiled. "I'm here to help you".
I was so confused as I hadn't called out any Audi breakdown?

This guy had been driving southbound on the M1, spotted me, driven a few miles to the next junction, and driven up the northbound direction to help me. By this point I was blubbing with hormones, bursting boobs and gratefulness.. he plugged in his diagnostic laptop to my car, worked out the problem (garage who had done my recent MOT hadn't replaced something vital correctly) and fixed it..

He was so kind and didn't accept any payment from me. I drove to the next services and was still feeling weepy and wobbly in the Costa cafe . A lovely young chap behind the counter told me to go and take a seat and he would send over a hot chocolate. I fed my hungry baby, the police called to check I was OK.

I felt thoroughly grateful to all of those strangers who showed me so much kindness.. -not so much to the AA who I called an hour later to let them know don't bother if you were still planning on coming to rescue me-

I was at Central station Amsterdam. Struggling up some steep stairs with a heavy suitcase to catch a train. The next minute a young man dressed in a very smart suit. Picked up my case and it was some distance and carried it to the top of the stairs. I thanked him. But he never spoke and smiled the whole time.
.

DH and I were once stuck when a motorway closed, about 300 yards from the Services exit. We had 6 year old DS and 3 year old DD with us and we've all been sitting there for hours. Well, little bladders just aren't that strong so we'd had both DCs at the front of our car, in front of our headlights so they could see, several times.

What struck us was the number of people from nearby cars who were walking up to the Services to buy food etc who asked us if we ok and if the kids needed anything. We were fine but I was touched by how concerned people were for small children they'd only ever seen peeing on the tarmac.

My DS wants to join the srmy after Uni.

Last year I was at a cash machine at a petrol station late one evening waiting behind a young guy. This was in a town close to several army bases. He was in civilian clothes but looked like a young soldier

His card did not work.
He tried it several times. And was looking desperate. Then just stood to one side looking lost.

I asked him if he was a soldier and he was. Returning from leave and lugging a large box and a bag with him. Just then his taxi turned up to take him back to base and he wanted to turn it away as he had no money to pay.

I gave him the cash (only £10) and he tried to give me his email and ask for my details to repay me.

At that point I got a bit sentimental and through a breaking voice told him that my one son wanted to join the army and I would hope another mum would help my son if he was stranded. I asked him to simply pay it on in the years to come and help another young soldier.

When I was 19 my car started playing up on the motorway on way home late at night. I came off at the next junction and it died on the bridge over the motorway. This was 1992 so I had no phone, I was in the middle of nowhere about 10 miles from home and it was after midnight. I sat there sobbing in my car not knowing what to do. A car appeared on the other side of the road and stopped about 10 metres away from me. A man got out and started walking towards my car, I obviously started panicking. He then took his very early mobile phone out of his pocket and gestured it to me...but placed it on my bonnet and walked back to his car. I called my parents and replaced the phone on my bonnet. He came back over to get his phone and then sat in his car until my parents arrived 20 minutes later when he drove off.

That gesture has sat with me ever since.

ChrisYoungFuckingRocks Completely understand how you felt, it's heartbreaking. I was fortunate my DTS's weren't in SCBU for too long, and that was hard enough, can only imagine how hard it was not having your DTD's back for god knows how long?

In my job I come across many different kinds of people all making very difficult personal decisions, often very upset, I reach out to them as much as I can even if it just means putting my hand on their arm, always thinking of the woman there for me.