What is the kindest thing a stanger has done for you?

[grannyinapram]

I'll start-

When I had my first baby I used to avoid going to my local shop because the door was really heavy and I always struggled to push the pram through it.
One night I was walking with the pram toward the big heavy door, then a little girl got out of a car in the car park and she ran over and opened the door for me. Then she ran back to the car! She wasn't close either, she came all the way Iver just for me.
Beautifully kind little girl.

Another time I was walking with my baby and my toddler in the rain, it came down heavy and we were all soaked (except baby with the rain cover)
someone stopped their car and offered me their umbrella. They couldn't tell because my face was soaked but I shed a tear. Wonderful lady.

Another time it was quite the opposite- it was a boiling hot summers day and I was walking with my then about 1 year old in the pram again. he was crying because it was hot. We walked past a hand car wash place and the man washing the car sprayed the hose into the air and gave us a lovely cooling down.

I'm sure I have many more but those are the ones I remember most.

This is one of the loveliest threads ever. Thank you every one for sharing and making me think about this and remember so many kind people.

It’s hard for me to put into words that make sense, but I’ve had strangers connect with me while I was traveling and they listened to me, understood me, offered me encouragement. This seems to happen whenever I’m having a hard time and traveling actually. I’ve been really happy any time I had an opportunity to do the same for someone else. It lifts me up as much as when people have been kind to me.

@ParkheadParadise I remember you posting about your poor dd & this man before. I'm so sorry for your loss. Does it bring a small piece of comfort to know that a complete stranger showed such kindness & compassion to your daughter at such an awful time?

Completely off topic love your username!

I was about 19 at the time and had been suffering with an eating disorder for a few years. I was at a shopping centre and came over very faint so I decided to walk outside for some fresh air. A young woman approached me and asked if I was feeling faint and was I OK? She went and got me a can of coke from a near by vending machine and stayed with me until I felt abit better. I got help after that and have been recovered now for over 10 years. I will forever be grateful for her kindness that day

Stayed with me and looked after me for quite some time when I badly injured myself somewhere remote, and then guided the emergency services in. Kept me feeling safe and not alone, think they'd have stayed with me as long as it took.

When I was younger I had cancer and because I was so young with what is usually an older persons cancer, my doctors were amazing with me.

I was due to have an operation after my treatment finished and I told one doctor, a senior registrar at the time, that I really want him at the operation as I trusted him (he took amazing care of me when I was at my worst in hospital). I didn’t find this out until afterwards, but my surgery was scheduled for his birthday. He was in Italy on holiday, flew back to London the day before for my surgery on his birthday, and then flew back to Italy that evening.

@ParkheadParadise I’m so sorry to read that. I hope you’ve been able to find peace since and you’re now doing ok Xx

My car broke down on a busy but narrow road in rush hour with myself dd3 and ds1 in it. Everyone queued behind me waiting. I got out to try to push it to side and suddenly literally about 5 people appeared all strangers to help. Then a women who had pull over waited with me until dh arrived and then went and bought dd &ds colouring/magazine from the shop nearby ! Kind people everywhere. Pay it forward.

[quote Musicalmistress]@ParkheadParadise I remember you posting about your poor dd & this man before. I'm so sorry for your loss. Does it bring a small piece of comfort to know that a complete stranger showed such kindness & compassion to your daughter at such an awful time?

Completely off topic love your username![/quote]
@Musicalmistress
It does now. At the time I couldn't think about the impact it had on him personally. I will always be grateful to him.

My username is the best 😂😂 HH

Ive a few tbh but the one i repeat (to many people!) Over the years is almost literally 8 years ago i was 21, my son was 2 and we had walked from nursery to see my grandad so then was walking back home, very very tired son threw a major strop i couldnt carry him as he was a tall chunky shit and i had a bag of co op shopping and a chippie tea in my hands.
He was full on lying down id been up since 3AM working as a picker packer home at 8 took him to school all the normal nonsense of a day.
Some lady walked up to me i was practically in tears at this point just touched my shoulder and said 'can i help?' I boyed her off she had a kid in a pram but the attention was enough to get my boy off the floor and walking and she said she was walking this way anyway (she wasnt)

She walked about 15mins with me to my house just chatting away calming me down, amusing my over tired toddler.

It really may not seem like much but any time i think about a moment i needed someone, it always comes to me because ultimatly she was there, a total stranger.

I cried that night, alot. Quit my job a month later and found something more suitable! Too this day i dont remember her face but i always wonder if she remembers mine!

Got a phone call while on my way to see my sister telling me she’d died suddenly. Broke down on the train platform. Tried to get on the train to get to the hospital but couldn’t stand up. Couldn’t speak on the phone. Was heartbroken and in shock and I think screaming crying. I just had to see her for myself because I couldn’t believe it. Lovely woman took me in a cab to the hospital. Journey was a blur. She took me to the hospital waited with me there and handed me to staff. All my family had already left. Saw my sister in the morgue as was devastated but she looked as if she was asleep and I spoke to her said goodbye. I would not have been able to do that if that woman had not taken me out of the station, stayed with me and gone with me in the cab. I will forever remember her kindness.
Never break news of sudden death over the phone to someone who is alone.
I’m so sorry for your loss @ParkheadParadise

@lostintranslation78 I'm so sorry that sounds absolutely awful, i hope you never have to go through something like that again and ill definitely approach if I ever see anyone who looks distressed. I'm really really sorry for you

We grew up skint, when I was about twelve I was walking home after school, and the sole fell off my shoe, and I had a fifteen minute walk home. A man, someone who I had never met, saw me walking with one foot bare, I was really embarrassed as I needed to walk up the high st, and he crossed the road, came over, asked if I was ok, then walked me home, making light conversation and making me smile all the way.

I was so grateful, as I felt less self conscious. Never saw him again, but it was a very sweet thing to do.

Also once I stupidly bought some heavy garden furniture and lived in a house with no parking, so had to park on the street. I attempted to get it out the car on my own, as my husband was in work, and was really struggling. I had the table half out and half in the car and couldn’t complete the job, and was kinda fucked as couldn’t leave it like that. A man stopped and asked if I needed help. And proceeded to help me unload and carry it round the back of the house.

When my dad was dying, he was ill for some time and I was travelling up and back as often as possible - it was a train journey of about 3-4 hours. I had just arrived at work and I got the call saying this was it and he was going - I should come as soon as possible. I’d only been working for my company for a few months at this point, but all my colleagues jumped into action - they booked me an Uber to the station, all emptied out their wallets so I wouldn’t even have to stop to take out cash for a taxi at the other end, and when I went to leave to get in the taxi, they pushed a carrier bag into my hand - all 60 of my colleagues pretty much had rooted through their bags and desks to make up a care package - bottled water, sweets, tissues, paracetamol, new magazines, little messages of support written on post its......

In the end, my dad rallied and we had a few more weeks with him, but the kindness everyone showed made such a difference.

Oh, also, when the end really was coming a few weeks later and I had to make a similar train journey, the train conductor saw I was upset and brought me a coffee and sat next to me and held my hand. I’ve never forgotten her.

My car broke down with 6 month DD in October few years ago and a lovely lady brought me out a drink and blanket and let me use her loo while I waited for AA. She also offered to drive me somewhere if I needed it.

@FestiveChristmasLights

My baby died in the NICU. A midwife had been looking after me and she came to say goodnight because her shift had ended. I remember she just sat beside me for hours and cuddled me whilst I cried. I’ll never forget how kind she was.

Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry

@ParkheadParadise

Posted about this before.

My dd was Murdered 5 years ago. She was found by a man returning from night shift. He stayed with her until the police came, placed his jacket over her.
Not once did he talk to any reporters or give any interviews. He came to her funeral and also had to give evidence at her trial.
We finally got to meet him before the trial and thank him in person.
I will never forget what he done for my dd and will always be eternally grateful.

I have no words xx

Gosh, some of these stories are heart-breaking 💔. I honestly can't even comprehend how it must feel.

A small example in comparison, but I've never forgot the elderly lady who spent 30 minutes with me one day calming and soothing my SEN toddler (who had gone into a full meltdown in the middle of the street.) I had been through weeks of screaming and was absolutely exhausted and helpless and at breaking point. I think she must have recognised that. I never found out her name but she was absolutely the angel I needed at that point. Made me resolve to be that person if I ever saw another Mum in a similar situation....

The team of medics who performed CPR on me when I arrested. Thank you! That is the kindest act ever. I know it's their job but still...

The young man with Down's Syndrome who asked his carer if he could help lift my buggy up the stairs of Acton station years ago. We got to the top of the stairs and he gave me the best hug in the world. I actually cried. It was just a purely loving act from a random stranger.

@FestiveChristmasLights @ParkheadParadise

On holiday in France my car broke down in the middle of a junction. A man on a motorbike came over and spoke (?!!) and drove off. Came back in a big car, rigged caravan up whilst a repair truck hitched car on.. 2 cars loaded me and dc in and we all set off. Not long after our caravan was pitched, dh and the car arrived at a garage. One man even returned with a bag of shopping for us!!.
Car was repaired and no holiday ruined at all!

@lostintranslation78

ParkheadParadise

I think about you. I always hope that peace delivers light to your day. Your beloved daughter was cocooned in love and dignity. I hope you always find some sort of comfort in that, small comfort that it is, I know.

@crankysaurus

Stayed with me and looked after me for quite some time when I badly injured myself somewhere remote, and then guided the emergency services in. Kept me feeling safe and not alone, think they'd have stayed with me as long as it took.

It wasn’t at St Abbs head was it?

We were there walking a few years ago and we saw a man trying to make a call, people were just walking by but my husband asked if he was Ok. He said his wife had twisted her ankle. So off my husband stomped thinking OK I’ll help her back to the visitors centre that she just had a bit of a limp.

OMFG she was lying spread eagled and one of her legs jammed between 2 rocks and the bone sticking out the leg in 2 places.

We phoned 999 and the police and paramedics came but they couldn’t get her to the ambulance, the lifeboat had to come and take her away and the ambulance met the lifeboat at the lifeboat station. I was trying to corral my kids who were very young but my husband sat with her holding her hand and talking to her until the lifeboat took her away. He’s a good guy.

There used to be a lovely old man who was a trolley marshal at our Morrisons. When I was pregnant he used to wheel my trolley to the car if he saw me coming out and load my shopping into my boot.

One time when I had had my second so he was tiny and my eldest was just turned 3, I had no pound coin so couldn’t get a trolley. I was trying to corral a 3 year old and juggle a car seat and basket. He saw me struggling and went and got me a trolley, the kind with the baby seat and the normal child seat and waited while I took the car seat back to the car. What he didn’t know was I was hanging by a thread as my husband was at the time in a redundancy meeting at work and I knew he’d be losing his job. Such a small thing to the man in Morrisons but a huge thing to me.