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Original poster

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

68 replies

CrazyOldMe · 13/04/2025 23:18

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”.

OP posts:

Newtrix · 14/04/2025 21:28

mindutopia · 14/04/2025 14:23

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.

He sounds like an amazing man, a true treasure.

TheCountofMountingCrispBags · 14/04/2025 22:36

Wakemeupbe4yougogo · 14/04/2025 18:35

My Dad's palliative care Consultant. When Dad's cancer was progressing much quicker than expected, his specialist care nurse mentioned hospice and drug management because we just weren't coping with Dad being at home. The first time I spoke to him, he rang to say he had a bed for Dad - his voice just washed over me like a soothing balm and I felt we were in safe hands. He kept Dad in the hospice for just over 4 weeks, and was dreadfully apologetic that they couldn't keep him till the end of life part, but he arranged a nursing home (Dad couldn't go home due to living in a black hole of care provision) and he phoned me every single day to see how Dad was and how I was. When the nursing home care didn't meet Dad's needs, he would phone them at all hours and guide them through process. I don't know if he ever slept! I never met him in person, but felt like he carried me through the hardest journey of my life - losing my darling Dad. I only wish that I could begin to express my gratitude. He felt like my guardian angel in the strangest of ways.

That's so lovely to hear when there's so much wrong with the poor old NHS. Very much above and beyond the call of duty, and I hope, somewhat ameliorated your pain and grief.

Middleagedstriker · 14/04/2025 22:38

Pacfac · 14/04/2025 15:19

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

Show quote history

But he's a horrible man who produced a horrible child.

BitOutOfPractice · 14/04/2025 22:43

Jsidken · 14/04/2025 15:02

Tony Benn

Me too. I gave him a lift and had The privilege of his company all to myself in my little beige fiat panda. He gave every impression of being really interested in my mid-20s garbled thoughts and we talked for a long time about my thesis (I wrote it about a constituency that his father had once stood in). I admire him and his principles so much.

On a less exalted note, footballer Steve Bull.

TheFutureIs · 14/04/2025 22:51

My DP, he is so loved by all his friends, gives up so much time for grassroots sports and is the best stepdad I could wish for for my DC. He is a beautiful person inside and out and I am so happy he chose me as his person.

Wobblemonster · 14/04/2025 22:55

My Dad, my hero.

Flytrap01 · 14/04/2025 22:55

Myself, im not perfect but still

Badbadbunny · 14/04/2025 23:06

Olivia Newton John before she was truly famous and before her environmental and charity work. She was probably the kindest and nicest most genuine person I’ve ever met. Glad that fame and fortune didn’t ruin her like it so often does.

Onedancewontdo · 14/04/2025 23:17

Jeremy Corbin I had to give a speech to a number of ministers about the struggle of having cancer and the financial implications. All the ministers bar one turned up with a driver bare one who turned up on a push bike. In the lift after I tried to advocate for cancer suffers Jeremy was the only person to talk to me and when he shook my hand pressed something into it. He gave me £100 pound and never put it in social media or did it for likes he is a pure gent

Playmobil4Eva · 14/04/2025 23:25

My husband. He is just a wonderful, decent person and everyone he meets just adores him. I’m so lucky he is mine.

TiredCatLady · 14/04/2025 23:32

@mindutopia Alan sounds wonderful. I hope he knew how much he was loved and how many lives he changed. Plants, cats and tea. I think we’d have got on.
I had my own Alan in a not dissimilar situation. I don’t think they know the impact they had but your post has prompted me to think it’s time I let them know.

MsNevermore · 14/04/2025 23:42

My maternal grandad.

Since I was a little girl, he’s been a superhero in my eyes.
He’s a fixer - find yourself in a pinch, or something’s broken? Grandad’ll fix it.
Got in trouble as a kid and don’t want mum to know? Ring grandad. He’ll give you a stern talking to but will also cover you so mum doesn’t find out 😂
Making dinner and forgot to buy potatoes? Grandad’s got loads in the garden, ring him and ask and he’ll have them dug out by the time you get round the corner.
Need a cup of tea and a cry? Grandad’ll have the kettle on in minutes few and be ready with a hankie and a cuddle.

He’s 93 years old, has been married to my Nana for 70 of those years, fathered 5 children. He fought in Korea in the 1950’s and came home with a life-altering injury but didn’t let that stop him from living a wonderful life and spending every ounce of his energy loving his children and grandchildren.

I’ve experienced more loss and grief in my life than someone my age really should, but I can say without a doubt, when my Grandad’s time comes? It will devastate me. I simply cannot comprehend the idea of a world without him in it.

MrsWinslowsSoothingSyrup · 14/04/2025 23:52

Jane Goodall.

Still working very hard at 90+, and still succeeding in inspiring children and communities to conserve nature and wildlife.

Amazing.

Shoezembagsforever · 14/04/2025 23:57

Undoubtedly my mother and father. They both died in 2022 after a very long and mostly happy life together. They are a very hard act to follow…

ForZanyAquaViewer · 15/04/2025 00:01

Desmond Tutu. Because he was Desmond freaking Tutu!

Comedycook · 15/04/2025 10:36

My grandmother who survived the holocaust.

BitOutOfPractice · 15/04/2025 10:40

Well @MsNevermorethat’s made me cry. He sounds wonderful.

dogsandcatsandhorses · 15/04/2025 10:53

Not in any way famous but
My aunt. Born in about 1914. Her father died when she was a child so she had to leave school at 14 to work even though she desperately wanted to stay on and be a nurse. WW2 broke out and she rushed to volunteer, hoping they’d train her as a nurse, only to have her hopes dashed as her maths skills were needed to take over a “man’s job” She had to cycle 14 miles to war service work in the dark along marsh roads throughout the war. Married, had 2 children and only wanted to be a granny. Her dd died at 25 due to medical negligence and her son had emigrated and married a woman who didn’t want children so no grandchildren. My aunt soldiered on, was never sorry for herself and shopped for “the elderly” in her neighbourhood into her 80s. She was always grateful for what she had, told me that her feet were misshapen because she’d never had new shoes until she was an adult— always wore sisters hand me downs ( 1 of 9 children) They were lined with cardboard when it rained so as she said anything you have in life is a bonus after that. Kindest lady I ever met, never said a bad word about anyone. RIP Auntie, you were the best.

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