Who do you remember from your past who would have no idea that they'd been memorable to you?

[halexanderamilton]

I saw a lollipop lady this morning and it made me remember the lovely lollipop lady from my primary school who was so friendly and fun and remembered all the children's names. I obviously don't know but I'm guessing she's passed on now, not knowing how she had affected me and most likely lots of other people. I am 52 now and I have remembered her with fondness. It made me wonder if there was anyone who will still remember me in 45 years when I'm gone, other than close family, obviously.

What random person can you remember with pleasure from your past who wouldn't know that you remembered them?

I absolutely try to pay it forward OP . Such lovely stories.

afternoon, what an incredible story and what an amazing doctor. It has reminded me I have a friend whose life was very probably saved by a passing doctor who examined her and diagnosed her with a rare disease. He could easily just have kept walking and not stopped (he was also just passing through the department).

My S1 English teacher, Mrs Goss, she was great.
Also the day I was diagnosed with breast cancer 6 years ago. I had 21 biopsies and they were agony. A nurse stayed and held my hand the whole time.
11 years ago I had DS1 and we were really struggling to feed. A student midwife stayed with me for ages.

The man in the vets waiting room who came and spontaneously hugged me as i came out of the room having just had my lovely old dog pts, i was bawling my eyes out. He said i looked like i needed a hug from someone - it meant so much to me but i think he was embarrassed when he realised that he had hugged a complete stranger.

The anaesthetist who stroked my hair when I was having a very scary EMCS.

And my best friend from school's dad, who would always say 'if you get separated from the gang, just get back here, the back door is always open.' It always was too, and their house provided refuge for quite a few of us over the years whether it was boy troubles, getting too drunk and having the 'homing instinct' or parenting troubles.

My french teacher Miss George who gave up her lunch hour to give me extra tuition after I burst into tears in class because I got something wrong.
I passed my ( then) GCE with a grade one because of her ☺️

A boy in my first ever class as an NQT. He was a real challenge at times, had come from his previous school with a rather negative reputation, but I honestly believed that he had the potential to be amazing. He surpassed expectations in the end and I was incredibly proud of him. I'm pretty sure he often felt that I was a real pain and out to get him. :D He's the only pupil, whose mum's phone number I've ever known by heart. :D He had lovely parents and a really supportive home life. I hope he's done well and is happy.
DS has the same name as him. :)

What a lovely topic to discuss. For me, I always remember Mrs Vickers, a retired teacher and authoress who used to come into our primary school class once a week and read books ... two of which I can still remember and recommend: Gobolino the Witch's Cat and the beautifully written "Little Grey Men" (about the oldest gnomes in England). Thank you Mrs Vickers.

When I was a teenager my mum was in and out of psychiatric hospital, sometimes for months at a time. I was skint but sometimes had to take a taxi to visit her as the bus service was rubbish. A taxi driver who took me home one day, when I was very upset, refused to accept any payment. I was initially very suspicious as my experiences with men up to that point told me there were always strings attached. However he was just a kind, generous man. He was my driver on a few occasions and each time he refused any payment.

@Fuzzyspringroll going by lots of the posts on here mentioning influential teachers, I'm betting that he will remember you too.

@halexanderamilton Well, considering I taught him in Years 5 and 6 and it was generally our senior school staff, who were the beloved teachers, I'm sure he'll have lots of others, who he will remember more. :) It was years ago. I think he's about 20 now. :D

@TooStressyTooMessy - doctors like that are incredible people. I wonder if they have any idea how important their knowledge is. And the ones who help out wherever they are, (mine was just taking a short cut through the department iirc) must be such kind people.

My primary school teacher when I was 4, one day after school she announced me and my brother and sister were going to her house for tea, I remember riding on a red bus drinking a can of coke which fizzed all over, when we got to her house her daughters took me upstairs and gave me a book called my first learn to cook book, it turned out my dad had died that day.

The beautiful big warm black lady who came in and cleaned me up after baby number 1. I felt enveloped in maternal care and tenderness, she couldn't have been kinder if I had been her granddaughter. It had been long hard labour with a midwife later nicknamed Cruella. She refused to believe I was in pain despite an epidural.

I had a bad fall when I was about 4 month pregnant and though I’d broken my elbow. A lovely lady scooped me up when others were walking around me and took me to a&e. She was so kind and I’ll never forget that.

The HCA who advised me to lie on my left side and lift my knee when I had has pain after a big surgery, and she brought me peppermint water. I've passed that advice on to lots of people and they've all said how helpful it is.

Gas pain not has pain.

My old dance teacher from school

A friend I grew up with with Down’s syndrome. I see him a lot as he works in my local McDonald’s but it’s been so long he has no idea who I am. We spent many a day fawning over the spice girls and their singles

I remember most of my teachers, and sometimes bump into them. Some remember me, some don't. I know they'll have taught hundreds or maybe even thousands of kids so why should they, but it's a shame when it felt we made such a great connection at the time.

For me, there's a girl I keep thinking of who was a friend of my mum's. SEN wasn't talked about at all when I was growing up, so this girl would come along to play with me when our mums were chatting, and I'd be fascinated by her, because she had no coordination, poor reading and writing, terrible anger issues. I used to play games with her and just tell her she'd won them - she didn't know either way, but was absolutely made up.

I very much doubt she has ever thought about me, but it saddens me to think how much of a better life she would probably have had if she were brought up knowing what we know today.

Although, for all I know, she could have an amazing life. As I said, I haven't seen her since I was about 10.

Not at all dramatic, but when I was late teens and trying to make my own way in the world (with support from awesome parents who encouraged my independence), I worked as a chambermaid and kitchen assistant at a small hotel. The couple who ran it were some of the nicest, kindest and most supportive people I have ever met, and I think that in my teen self centredness, I am not sure I ever really said how much I appreciated their support. I still have the "old" duvet cover they gave me, when they knew I was in need.
If anyone does know the couple who ran Greyfriar Lodge near Ambleside in the late 90s, please tell them how much they were valued. And are still.

Years and years ago, my flight was late landing at the airport and public transport had stopped for the night until the next morning. I got in a black cab at the airport and asked him to take me as far as my £30 would take me to my hometown. He took me all the way to my town despite knowing i didn't have the full fare (i was about another £40 short!!).
I was in my early twenties. He said he had a daughter my age and wouldn't want her to be left stranded at an airport plus he had to pass through my town to get home (not sure how true that last bit is). In any case, I was a very nervy timid 20yr old and I'm eternally grateful to him for getting me home. He's part of the reason i'll never use an Uber

Mrs Davidson - a substitute teacher in primary school who had a wee nickname for me . I was allowed to sit on her knee , she was a wonderful teacher . I can’t picture her face at all or even hear her voice except for ‘long tongue’ my nickname.. but I remember feeling very loved and safe !

A social work student and a nurse who helped me enormously twice when I was very small . The social work student took my sister and I out of M&S when we were tiny tiny children , and my mum was ill . Took us back to her flat . I remember sitting at her desk with the phone book whilst she searched for names I recognised so she could phone my family .

I had a lot of involvement with social services in early childhood and as such dozens of names instantly come to mind, but I can’t remember them well at all , just names and sometimes a smell or song . One lady I remember letting me listen to a 99 hits CD in her car ... another who gave me her daughter’s dress for Christmas and lots of toys ... another who gave me a doll from the family centre .. I’ve tried to trace them on Facebook to no avail at all . Met one lady once and I was in floods of tears when I saw her again , it was very strange and lovely !

The lady who gave me money when we were paying and realised I had lost my bank card and couldnt buy her breakfast. It was snowing and freezing cold and the lady told me to get something warm for us.

The lady who offered to hold my screaming baby while I wrote out a card in the post office with lots of tuts behind me from impatient people.

The HCA who got me through my first labour with care I will never forget.

The lady in the corridor of the hospital who congratulated me on the birth of my son and told me I was amazing whilst I was in the worst state of my life following a EMCS. No sleep for three days and horrendous care, couldnt walk and was an emotional tired wreck.

The man who asked me if I needed help in the ward after csection due to lack of care and help from staff, baby had been screaming for over an hour I was crying and needed to sleep desperately and I couldnt get in and out of bed on my own and was being huffed and puffed at by the man in the next bay because my baby was interrupting his snoring.

Many many people I will never forget.

My hospital consultant who was trying to find the reason why I couldn't conceive. He had to sit there and tell me that I had cancer and that I needed an urgent hysterectomy. He was visibly genuinely gutted to be giving me the news. 10 years on I still remember feeling like he genuinely was up set that I had come to him off help and he had to tell me exactly the opposite.

reallynow1

Took DS to the Evelina children’s hospital one day, one of a series of appointments. Took a black cab there from Waterloo (approx 2-3 miles). Cabbie refused to accept money for the fare, saying that he never took the fare for a child visiting the hospital. I was already a bit all over the place due to everything going on with DS’ health, but that kindness almost sent me over the edge

Commuter on the train one morning. Had to take 4yo DS (with SN) on the train in the middle of morning rush hour for a hospital appointment at St Thomas’ which couldn’t be changed. Train was packed, we were lucky to get on. Ds wanted to sit by the window and of course nobody would give up their seat and they all pretended they couldn’t hear the commotion. Wonderful, wonderful man said in a very loud voice to the whole carriage ‘who would be willing to give up their seat for this amazing lady and her very special son?’. Someone moved, I sat down with DS in my lap and he was fine for the 20 minute journey that would otherwise have been awful. It made what would otherwise have spiralled into a really challenging appointment and rest of the day so much easier.