A stranger you'll never forget.

[SallyIsEverSoNice]

I'm sure there's a slot on a BBC radio show about this, but I wondered if there is a stranger who did something to help you that you wish you could thank.

Years ago I was travelling alone by train to meet up with a group of friends. It was in the days when Wembley Stadium was being refurbished and there was a big football match final (I think Liverpool v West Ham or similar) being held in Cardiff, where I had to change trains.

I got off the train, walked along the platform into a huge group of fans, somehow turned around and smacked my forehead so hard into a cast iron pillar that I knocked myself out momentarily. When I came round, an older (60's? Maybe 70's) last was helping me up, sat me on a bench and checked me over and got me onto a train, she even carried my case. She made me promise I'd phone the friends I was meeting, which I did.
I never got a chance to get her name, let alone thank her, as it wasn't her train and she vanished. I spent the weekend with a golf ball sized lump on my forehead but I really appreciated the kindness she showed.

Has anyone ever helped you and you didn't get a chance to thank them?

I was in a very bad place one Christmas. I was completely alone and I phoned a mental health line. I spoke to this bloke for a long time who challenged all my negative thoughts and feelings and brought me back from the brink.

Met a lady on the train from Cornwall to London who was travelling to run the marathon. She was in her early 70's.

She told me how she often takes holidays and trips alone as her husband wasn't keen on travel.

She inspired a few solo trips of my own.

Wonderful woman who I often think of 💚

I’d not long passed my driving test 40 years ago, I was driving to my new flat having just left home to move in with my boyfriend (now ex DH) my car had a faulty petrol gauge and I ran out of petrol in the city centre. The man behind stopped to help and got a petrol can out of his boot and gave me a gallon of petrol which got me home. I was new to driving and didn’t know the city well, he was so kind and didn’t take any money for it, I still remember him and how relieved I was!

I was travelling to my friends for the weekend about an hour and a half away. I passed an articulated lorry on the motorway, with a really caring slogan on the side. I can't remember it now, but it was really touching and I wondered why I hadn't seen it before.
Halfway through my journey, I had a tyre blow out in the fast lane. I managed, God knows how, to get onto the hard shoulder.
My husband had taught me how to change a tyre and I'd done it a few times, so I got everything out of the boot and made a start. The nuts had been put on with a pneumatic drill! And I could not for the life of me loosen them! This was the days before mobile phones, so I started to panic, wondering what the hell I could do.
A voice suddenly appeared from the front of me, asking if I needed help! I looked up and saw that the lorry I'd passed had pulled in front of me and I never heard a thing! He made me sit on the embankment, while he changed the tyre, wouldn't accept any kind of payment, said he was happy to help, I thanked him profusely and went on my way. I have never seen that lorry again. I wish I could remember the slogan. But I actually believe he was my guardian angel that day!

Loving this thread.

I've travelled a lot on my own and just small gestures I've had to help me find my way, so I am always happy to help other "lost souls".

First time mum and I accidently locked my ds who was about nine months old in the car with the key in there. Clearly was panicking when a stranger who clearly knew how to break into cars came along and did so. It was the days before mobile phones so no idea how I would have got help but I was just glad the right person was there at the right time.

I was a university student on my way to a music recital, carrying my cello, walking alone at night and lost. I was going to be late to the recital if not miss it altogether.

I got into the car of a complete stranger (I know, what was I thinking?!!!) to whom I gave the address of the recital. I began to feel this terrible pit of dread that he was going to abduct, rape and kill me instead of taking me there, particularly as he kept calling me "babe". He was an older black guy with a second generation west indies accent. All my days I will remember thinking, if I have to roll out of this car and run for my life, how will I explain to my parents about losing the cello?! It was the most expensive thing I'd ever owned.

But, it turns out he was just a nice guy, and he dropped me off at the recital, on time.

I never ever wanted to feel that trapped and vulnerable ever again, so I learned an important lesson that night. With hindsight, he probably offered me the lift to keep me safe.

I went through a really bad time in my early thirties, where I'd unsuccessfully tried to retrain in a different career. After not completing the course, I ended up stuck in dead end temping jobs unable to get a job related to anything I wanted to do career wise as employers were suspicious of the year I'd had out to do a training course which I'd not completed. After two years of trying to get a job, I finally got one and was so happy just to have some permenance that I overlooked the toxic manager and the fact that I was managing a department whilst being paid as an assistant. On a train home from a weekend away I got talking to this women who was a lecturer at a London university who was lively and interesting and had a really amazing career. I was talking about my job and she told me before she got off the train that it sounded like I was over qualified for what I was doing, and that I was being taken advantage of at work. It made me realise how much confidence had been knocked out of me and made me want more for myself.

First gp appointment of the day and I think the young new gp panicked a bit, said I needed to go to A&E now, this minute, take this note. ( temporal something)
Hastened through A&E, sat in a cubicle. Anniversary of my DH death in a road accident so feeling shit anyway. Loud voices from next cubicle, man relating his night time crash to two women ( mum and gf maybe) lot of laughing over how much he’d had to drink. I tried shutting it out, told myself at least he was ok not dead his family would be glad of that but It was too much, I was out the cubicle, muttered sorry I have to go to a nurse as I rushed through the door.
She brought me back very gently sat me down and listened while I sobbed. Said she’d find me somewhere else to wait for the doctor ( who then wanted me to go back to the cubicle but she firmly said no not a good idea, we’ll stay here)
I know she was doing her job but it made such a difference on an awful day.

and I really hope that young man was ok but please don’t drink and drive. Ever.

Gorgeous guy in Covent Garden about 40 years ago asking if I was Ingrid. I'm not. Then saw him later when I was with my dm and dsis and he face me a beautiful smile!

Scottish young woman on a late train home from Hadrian's Wall school trip. We were about 15. She was about 22. She was telling us for most of the journey about how she was about her boyfriend who was a drug addict. Felt like we were a very naive and sheltered bunch of school children. Eye opening. Also over 40 years ago.

Also the guy who counselled me on a phone helpline when I had a stillbirth nearly 30 years ago.

So many!

When I was a clueless teen and not long passed my test, my tyre blew. A mother with 2 small kids in the back pulled over and changed my tyre for me. At the time I was a hopeless (selfish) teen and didn’t think that much of it. But now that I’m older and have my own daughters I’m so grateful she didn’t leave me stranded by the roadside. What a woman!

Another time I was in a flap at the check out when my card wouldn’t work. The gentleman behind me paid for my groceries and refused to give me his details to repay him. I could have cried.

Most memorable of all. I got the train on my own with a 3 year old and a newborn baby. Couldn’t find our reserved seats. The train was absolutely rammed. I was a sweaty mess wrestling with a double buggy and lots of shopping bags. Asked the conductor for help to find our seats. ‘Come with me’ and he led me straight onto the quiet zen of the first class carriage and carried all of our things. I never forgot it. 13 years later, I was getting the same train with my two teenage daughters in tow and he was the conductor! I got to say thank you in person, made a note of his name and emailed national rail.

• she was telling us for most of the journey about how worried she was

previous post should say

Driving on the motorway at 18 only been driving about 6 months. Weird noise coming from car, guy comes next to me and hand gestures me to stop on hard shoulder pointing at the wheel. We both stop, I have a puncture never dealt with one so he changed the wheel put the wheel in the boot then told me to follow him until we rejoined the carriage way and stayed with me until my exit. It was such a kind thing to do.

I did have breakdown cover but he said it would be faster. He had a daughter my age and hoped others would help if she needed it.

Over 50 years ago I was in a minor car crash with my dm (not her fault). I was only about 5 and very upset and scared but obviously dm had to deal with everything to do with the crash. An old lady who was walking by, offered to take me to her house and look after me. She parked me in front of the tv (probably Blue Peter) and gave me tea and biscuits. I remember it being very calm. Her husband was there but stayed out of the way. Mum came and picked me up and off we went. The lady will be long gone but I’ve never forgotten it - the kindness, the calm and just knowing what was needed in that moment.

An Italian man called Orlando, who pulled DM, DSis and I off the M11 on Christmas Eve, the first Christmas after DDad had died. We were going to friends for Christmas. It was 8pm. The elderly car packed up.

We only had the level of cover to get towed home (to an Emory house with no food and no company), Orlando persuaded his manager to upgrade us . We were towed all the way to our friends, and a few days later, all the way home.

I'm disabled so although I know how to change a tyre I physically can't.

Coming out of Sainsbury's and hit the kerb popping a tyre.

A car stopped and a guy got out, I said it's OK I have RAC / AA whatever. He says it will only take a minute, then takes out his Army ID so I knew he 'isn't dodgy'.

Changed the tyre and then he drove off with a wave.

I was a student, taking the national express to Canterbury after a night out in London. I was very very drunk and fell asleep, missing my stop and waking up at the end of the route in Dover. I was so disoriented and scared, it was about 3am, I had no money left and no idea what to do plus so drunk I couldn't think straight. Two women also on the coach saw me getting off looking upset asked if I was alright. I explained what happened and they took me back to their flat, fed me a cheese toasty, and gave me a taxi number to call and I got a taxi to my boyfriend's place (and got him to pay as I had no cash left). If they hadn't helped me I would have been in a very vulnerable position so I am so so grateful to those two women.

Sat in a pasta restaurant in Nottingham with a Uni friend.
This guy walks in, sits down at our table and starts chatting away. We offered him a brew, he accepted.
He drank his brew, thanked us and off he went.
I said to my mate, who was that. He said, I don't know, I thought he was a friend of yours 😂
Cheeky sod!

Walking in a dodgy area of Nottingham, a guy falls into step beside me. My thoughts weren't great. He said what are you doing on your own round here, I told him I was literally passing through from one area to the next. Bless his heart, he walked with me until he deemed I was in a safer area. Such a nice thing to do.

A woman behind me in an airport queue who offered me a tissue after I'd said goodbye to my first love in Australia and was flying home back to UK. She was just lovely.

The many chaps who over the first years of driving and hard shoulder breakdowns stopped to help me or wait with me until recovery arrived.

Men get a terrible time on mumsnet but there are some genuinely lovely, kind and caring gents out there!

John Peel’s Saturday morning show on Radio 4. Think it was called “Home Truths”.

Nearly thirty years ago, I got dumped by my GF just as I was about to get the National Express overnight, back to university. She was my first love and I was devastated. In the middle of the night, a girl got on, sat next to me, we chatted, and as the journey went on, cuddled up and slept, which gave me so much comfort. I never told her what had just happened to me but maybe she thought I looked sad. I've never forgotten her.

I was in a very abusive relationship when I was a teenager, I’d say I was groomed by a man 10 years older than me. One night I had enough, I was ready to end it all because I never thought I’d escape (side note for anyone going through hell - it can get better!! 16 years on and I have the life I’ve dreamed off). I was walking around the streets at night crying and a stranger, I can’t even remember what they looked like asked me if I was ok and sat on the kerb listening to me cry and walked me back to my parents. Just listening and not judging changed the path of my life and shortly after I managed to get out the relationship for good. I wish I knew their face!

Could you imagine the reaction of Mums now if a stranger offered to take their kid into their house?

Yes, four weeks ago two wonderful strangers helped me in awful circumstances..

I posted this on a local forum, in the hope that the people who helped me see it.

"Yesterday, my beautiful darling labrador fell from a balcony onto the corner of Manor Road and Beam Street. A lot of people just simply stood by and watched as my darling girl was crumpled and crying out in immense pain on the pavement. However, two wonderful angels came to help. One gently cradled by dog and the other immediately called the vet. I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for your acts of kindness. I will never ever forget it. Sadly, my lovely dog had to be put to sleep such were the extent of her injuries. Xx

#ThankANeighbour