What’s the nicest thing a stranger has ever done for you?

[Queijo]

I have two, but I can’t choose.

Once when I’d just been diagnosed with epilepsy I had a seizure out of the blue on a bus alone with Dd and a woman jumped out of her seat, sat with Dd and sang with her whilst making sure I was ok and making sure Dd wasn’t panicking.

Second when Dd was days old I’d taken her out for the first time on my own, and we went to cafe for coffee and I was breastfeeding Dd. A woman came over and said you’re doing great. It was a second of interaction but to a first time mum I felt incredible after that.

Also anyone who waves to dd from a bus/tractor/train/bike!

I was in hospital as my Dad had had a heart attack & was trying to find change to make a phone call (before mobiles) and a porter came over & just gave me the money.

Driving to work on a country lane & the lorry in front of me knocked off a huge branch which got lodged between the wheels of my car. I was just starting to panic when a builders truck stopped, 2 men jumped out & managed to get it out from under my car. It was horrible weather & they were lying on the ground, scrabbling about under my car!

Driving to work a different time my car broke down, a woman stopped & helped me push it into a layby.

Came out from taking 3 DC to a swimming lesson & had promised to let them get something from the vending machine as a treat, all good everyone got something then DD ripped her jelly toys open & they went all over the floor. She was so good but had silent tears rolling down her face when I realised I didn't have any more change, her little brothers offered to share but a woman who'd seen it happen asked me if she could buy her a replacement. When I looked a bit flustered she just said please let me with a really kind look. I saw her about 5 years later in a bank & thanked her again for her kindness. It made us both a bit teary.

I have two.
The wonderful men of the TA (now army reserves I think) who at 6am one rainy morning helped me escape a shitty situation in the middle of nowhere.

The other is an amazing woman who allowed pregnant me to stay in her home until my new tenancy began.
We had never met each other, she was the friend of a new work colleague.
I wasn't lodging as such as she refused money or gifts. She checked I was eating and made food for me. She was just incredible.

This thread is breath of fresh air

I love this thread, thank you

•Had a disaster of a night out, first one at Xmas with a new job, I was bullied badly by my colleagues. I got so drunk because I was nervous. Ended up falling over in front of them all and they all pointed and laughed, was like something out of a movie. Went and sat outside to have a cigarette and I was crying. A woman comes up to me and talks to be, being sympathetic, turns out she had her hand in my purse the whole time.

She took everything. I was left with no money, no way of getting money, this was before internet banking was so easy, I had no credit on my phone, and I was going to walk home at 2am which would of taken around 3 hours in a dress in December.

A stranger came over, put me in a cab, handed the taxi driver a wad of cash and told him to take me home and walk me to the door. Which is exactly what he did.

This guy I found out actually worked in my building, but I haven't seen home before or since and this was 14 years ago. He never asked for anything.

•My car rolled down in bank and into a small brook. I was in a strange town and I had stopped to get some snacks from a shop. Before I knew it there was at least 8 men on the scene and between them and some pulleys, they got it out for me.
They got completely caked in mud. I was in shock and so grateful.

•Having a bad day with a toddler DS, who was very difficult and having a lot of meltdowns, we went to the park then the cafe attached. I got him a sandwich and he sat and ate it, even using the rubbing gel (post Covid) without me asking from the dispenser. A lady came up to me as we were leaving and told me what a good job I was doing, how lovey DS had behaved and I should be proud of myself. I burst into tears! I was so thankful for that.

Reading all these makes me realise how many lovely people they are.
At 18 and just married I was desperate to get custody of my DB who was 11. I had promised him as soon as I could I would bring him to me. I was hitting a blank wall and meeting so many obstacles. I had no family nor did my DH as we had both been in and out of care without anyone to turn to. I spoke to a Solictor on a free 15 minute appointment and the next day he called me and said he would help me free of charge. He would do whatever it took to help and he worked his socks off and got custody for me. I had no money to pay him and felt so indebted to him. He said his payment was getting my DB into a family home and back with me. I am to this day forever grateful to him.

Saved my life!

I just love how you got to thank her.
Also I have no story to add but just wanted to say I bloody love the thread... wish all Mumsnet was like this with kind words

I’ve loved reading every single one of these. Reminds me that the world isn’t such a terrible place.

I love these types of threads and reading everyone's stories. I'm even crying at them.

On the day I took my son to hospital (A+E) expecting to be there hours, he was rushed in for immediate surgery. It was all a bit of a shock. I had a banging headache and went to look for the hospital pharmacy to buy tablets. I couldn't find it but came to a shop and was looking at the shelves behind the lady at the till. I asked if they sold paracetamol, they didn't. She went rummaging through her bag and gave me her own tablets. Made sure I could take them, told me it was because of the stress of it all and offered to give me more to take for later. I was really taken aback.
Even the nurse that day, as I was leaving to go to the theatre, looked at me and quietly mouthed "are you ok?" I just nodded but it meant a lot.
Later that day, another patient's grandfather gave me one of his bags because I had nothing with me to put my son's belongings in. He couldn't speak English and gave me the warmest of smiles.
This was a while back - my younger son fell in the car park of a Starbucks and the barrister got him some plasters and a free drink. Small acts of kindness doesn't happen often but when it does it's not forgotten.

I've just remembered another. DS1 fell over outside a Patisserie Valerie when we were on holiday. He hit his head, which came up in a huge golf ball, and was very distressed. While I was picking him up and checking him over, a lady came running out of the cafe with a bag of crushed ice and a towel for his head. About five minutes later, she came out again with a little cake for him.

My brother was living in Boston MA and my eldest DS2 and I had flown out for a couple of weeks to visit.
On the flight home as we took off, DS and I were both bawling crying as we really did not want to leave. We were in the middle isle with the most wonderful Russian man, who told us gently that he always felt sad leaving somewhere special too. He proceeded to read 8 Mr Men books in a row to DS and order us a bottle of red for him and I to share.
He didn't have to do any of that, he was so so kind.

A few days ago I went to Costa for coffee and cake. Something I rarely do but fancied a treat. I got my tray with (very full) cup of coffee and cake on a plate; then realised I wasn't going to be able to carry it to the table. I had a stroke 3 years ago and since then my left hand hasn't functioned properly. I use a stick to walk as I'm very unsteady. Of course I can't use my stick when carrying a tray. As soon as I lifted the tray it tipped slightly as my left hand couldn't take the weight. The coffee started slopping over the side of the cup.
But then a lovely man came and took the tray, asking where I would like go sit. After taking my tray to the table he asked if I needed sugar and went to get some for me. I was so grateful and thanked him profusely. A reminder of why I don't do that often. 🙂

Gave me a lift to the petrol station garage when I ran out of fuel and them back to my car again.

So many, a staff member at Tesco paid for my shopping when I couldn't find my PIN. A man and his dog walked me all the way home when I got lost on a hike (it was miles).

The stand out one was when a relative was in their final weeks (cancer) and we all were round the clock caring for him, a lady over the road we didn't know and had never spoken to cooked a full meal (for our really big family) every single night and left it on our porch. The next day she would come and take the dishes and leave another one. I don't even know how she knew but I'll never forget it.

Finally remembered I had one of my own stories to tell.

When DC was about 2 months old I managed to leave the house as I needed nappies. It was so hot outside in his bassinet and all he did was cry (reflux and colic baby) on the way back from boots I just couldn't handle the walk home and sat on someone's brick wall to feed the baby and have a cry. Post partum and a traumatic birth were just horrific for me.

This lovely woman who was walking her dog stopped and chatted to me, reassured me I was doing really well and that this awful period wouldn't last forever. Shared stories of her own kids too.

DC is much older now and sure enough she was right! Sometimes we all need that little bit of reassurance in life - I'll never forget her kind words again! 🌺

Bump

These are lovely.

I was waiting for my Mum who was in hospital. Tried to get a coffee from the vending machine which wouldn’t accept my card for some reason (and didn’t take cash). The man behind me leant forward and tapped his card - a tiny thing really but meant a lot at the time.

Many years ago, when I was in my early 20's, I was married to a violent brute of a man.
One night, after an evening in the pub, my ex-h was drunk, and was attacking me in a dark back lane.
A nice car pulled up, and the driver stopped and asked me if I was ok. I'd been well trained, so I said I was fine.
He got out the car, and said that he didn't believe I was ok - I was bleeding and crying, so he put me in the front passenger seat of his car, and drove me a mile to the Hilton Hotel.
He checked me in, paid for my room, and gave me £200 in cash.
We had a brief conversation before he left - he urged me to leave my ex-h, and that a better life was out there.

It took me another 4 years, but I did eventually take his advice - and I'm absolutely fine now.

That person was Richard Gough, quite a well known footballer at the time.
I never knew how to thank him, but he changed my life.

A couple come to my mind, one fairly trivial another more serious but they both meant a lot at the time.
First one was when my eldest was 2. We'd just moved for me to take up a new job.DH was still in our old house hundreds of miles away as we'd not sold yet and I was staying with DD in a grotty rented house where nothing worked and having a load of grief with the landlord over it. DD was not settling in her new nursery, the new job was challenging and I knew absolutely nobody in the new town so it was a pretty miserable time. I'd picked a fractious DD up from nursery and gone straight to the supermarket. She was behaving dreadfully and I was really on the edge, seriously considering resigning next day and going back to our old city. As I was leaving I saw an elderly couple turn round and walk towards me. I presumed they were going to have a go at me but no, they said I looked like I needed a hand and could they help. The lady sang nursery rhymes with DD whilst her husband loaded my shopping into my car and took my trolley back. Such a small thing but it restored my faith in human nature and probably stopped me from giving up what ultimately became the best job I ever had!
The other was when I was in London on business whilst heavily pregnant with my second child.Getting on a tube just as the doors were closing I got my coat caught and fell, dropping my bag so everything spilled out. I was trying to get up and pick everything up but being the very pregnant and having my coat still caught in the door I was doing a fairly good impression of a beached whale. Nobody made any attempt to help me until 2 young Japanese men pushed their way down the carriage. One picked all my stuff up and the other managed to extricate my coat and help me up. Then one grabbed his suitcase for me to sit on, and they both got off with me and escorted me up the escalators at Euston to the mainline station. It wasn't where they were going but they wanted to check I was ok. I was simultaneously depressed by the fact that so many people ignored me and touched by the care of these two kind young tourists.

Given me an orgasm

Given DD and me theatre tickets as we walked past. Front row of the Royal circle

Put my bike in their large boot as I was struggling to fit it in mine after I'd just bought it then drove it to my house

Have DD and me a hanging basket with a strawberry plant in it

Strangers have done so many lovely things out of the blue in the past I can't remember them all

The world is full of lovely people actually

In turn I've done many kind things for strangers

The kind couple and their teenage daughter in Manchester Airport who heard 25 year old me trying to organise a one-way hire car to Newcastle after my flight got in too late from Vienna only to be told it would not be possible, I turned away almost in tears and they came up to ask if I needed a lift home. They were happy to help me, but I had to explain I was with my boyfriend - they took the two of us, we all got on famously on the journey, and we went the next night to the pub they drank in with a bottle of champagne for them. It was a very selfless thing for them to do and I have never forgotten their kindness, It taught me a huge lesson about paying it back every time you can.

I was a teenage runaway sleeping rough in London, she was from Eastern Europe, living in earls Court. She took me in for a whole month. One morning I just disappeared without even leaving a note.

I'm sorry M.

You were so kind to me.

My car said 40 miles of fuel left when I parked at home but the following morning on the 1/2 journey with my two little ones to the garage I ran out of fuel. Immediately a car stopped with 4 men, who hooked me up and towed me to the garage. Now I panic if the fuel indicator light comes on!

In Edinburgh, people used to stick their bus 'day tickets' into the corner of the timetable display in the shelter when they were finished with them for somebody else to use. I always thought this was lovely.