Who’s the greatest person you’ve ever met? Why?

[CrazyOldMe]

Curious as I myself have no answer to this question yet. I’ve met hundreds of lovely people but don’t know who I’d put at the top of the list. However, you often hear others described as “the greatest”.

Hillary Clinton, for obvious reasons.

Politician John Smith. Had he not died suddenly, I think he would have been a fantastic prime minister. He had brilliant ideas but apoeared fair, honest and realistic. You rarely get politicians you can trust nowadays but I think we could have trusted him to do the right thing.

Dorothy Hodgkin.

Doreen Lawrence. For her tireless fight to find justice for her son.

I had a uni lecturer who really took me under his wing during a really difficult time in my life. His name was Alan and he was the loveliest person. He was almost certainly gay, but of a time when coming out wasn’t something everyone did. He was always single as far as I knew, with lots of cats and houseplants. During uni, I lost my dad and had an awful boyfriend and was just struggling with direction in life.

Alan and I started having monthly cups of tea. And he just sort of counselled me through several years of big life transitions. I don’t know if I would ever have finished uni if not for his support. Also as he didn’t have a partner or children, I took on doing things for him, collecting his post when he was away, feeding the cats, I once drove him to the hospital and back home after an operation.

We kept in touch only sporadically after I graduated and moved away though, because I was in my 20s and I guess I thought he’d always be around. He was truly was such a pivotal person in my life. He looked after me and guided me in a parental sort of way that the other adults in my life maybe hadn’t done so well.

Maybe about 10 years ago, Alan got cancer and passed away quite quickly. I did get a chance to say goodbye and tell him what an impact he’d had on my life.

I thought I’d just been really lucky to find him at a time when I really needed that support in my life. But after his death, it was like they came from everywhere. So many other people like me who he’d met through teaching or doing theatre or charitable work or the local community group or whatever, all of us thought we were the only ones he was having cups of tea and chatting with while a cat laid on our laps in his conservatory.

All of us felt like he’d gotten us through some tough times with his mentorship and kindness. There were people he must have met 10 years before me and then others who must have been 10-15 years after me. 25 years worth of friendships and mentorship and cups of tea and none of us knew about each other really, but all of us had the same things to say about Alan. He was a true legend. I actually went into a teaching related field because of him, hoping maybe I could offer a similar sort of support and guidance to students that he gave to me.

My mum.

Stanley Johnson

My Mother, I know everyone thinks their mum is the greatest but mine really was.

She died at 45 years old, over 750 people attended the funeral, loads of young women that she mentored approached me to tell me how much she had impacted their lives and helped them progress in her sector. something i never knew!

At the time, she was the only black female lead of a national charity, she had been a drug addict who used the service that she went on to lead, She worked with everyone from the Lawrences (Steven's parents) to the black police ass and had started to advise gov on drug policy. She really was amazing and it was only after her death that we fully understood how impactful she was and how many people she helped progress in their careers / life.

Tony Benn

OMG, I came on here to say Tony Benn too! Such a lovely man too, as well as witty, clever, thoughtful, and very kind. I definitely felt in the presence of greatness.

She sounds incredible. I’m so sorry you lost her so young. ❤️

Reasons? And which one?

Boris' father. Most famous person I've met.

Shirley Williams years ago, she was wonderful, told her her book was awesome and she gave me some career advice that really helped

What a wonderful man . It’s so great you got to thank him before he died too.

Nelson Mandela - no explanation needed

The guy who orchestrated terrorist bombings that killed innocent men women and kids then
He did not go to prison for being black
He was in prison for organising terror attacks that killed people
When he was in power the economy of SA bombed as well

Tony Benn and Jeremy Corbyn.

Famous isn’t the same thing as greatness though.

Some people are both; I omitted to give the ‘why’ to my answer; Hodgkin was a great scientist, and an inspiration and support to subsequent generations particularly women.

He's a bit environmentalist

Do you have any views now OP?

Fiona Hill, my goodness she’s impressive

A celebrated artist who became a close personal friend. He is the only one of these three who was famous.

My nature reserve boss, now sadly deceased. Well-known in his field (in both senses), knew everyone in the county and beyond, was a thoroughly lovely man.

And DH's cousin, who put such a lot into his town over the years. Another wonderful man, known by everyone there. 800+ people at his funeral.

I feel privileged to have known them all.

@surreygirlzz You do know what Apartheid South Africa was like do you? The ANC were not terrorists they were freedom fighters for their race and their class. Nelson Mandela was an absolute hero for the things he did, said and how he epitomizes the struggle against a truly horrific regime.

Paddy Hill. Such strength in the face of an orchestrated miscarriage of justice. I don't think enough people realise that it wasn't just a wrongful conviction, that it was done on purpose by the British government. People should have went to prison for what happened to them, and how he came back from that to be the articulate campaigner that he was is amazing.