It always feels great to do something nice for someone, whether it’s a stranger or someone you know.
It’s what we should be doing all the time…even though we know that life doesn’t always work that way.
But these folks will never forget the people who went out of their way to do something nice for them.
Here’s what AskReddit users had to say.
1. Car wreck.
“The one time that immediately comes to mind is when I was 19 and wrapped my car around a telephone pole. I was able to get out of my car but I was a bit bloodied up and disoriented.
It happened in front of a row of houses so several people came out to investigate the wreck. One of them was a lady who essentially became my surrogate mom for 10 minutes until the ambulance arrived.
She made sure I was alright, she brought out an umbrella and held it over me (it was raining), she called my mother for me to let her know what happened, and even offered to go in the ambulance with me (I think they didn’t let her because she wasn’t actually a relative).
She was a complete stranger to me but treated me like her own daughter for those 10 minutes that felt like forever to me. I never thought to try and go back and find her to thank her, but I’ve never forgotten her.”
2. Let’s take a trip.
“Invited me to a two person vacation when I was in a very stressed out, hopeless and negative period.
Did everything to make me relax and let go of negative thoughts. Basically, lifted me up from a complete wreck to a normal person.”
3. Dads are great.
“My dad drove 1600 km (about 1000 miles) in one day to pick me up, so that I could stay at home during the lockdown.
He later dropped me off again and drove another 1600 km a day.”
4. From a stranger.
“Really broke at the time. I was buying gas and cigarettes with all change and I definitely had enough but some guy just gave me 10 dollars for gas.
I told him it really wasn’t necessary considering I was also buying cigarettes that I really didn’t need but he insisted that I take the 10 dollars anyway.
I started helping random people much more after this experience.
I also urge that anyone that does help random people stay safe and keep your wits about you.
Have had some bad experiences.”
5. When things get bad…
“My father is abusive and me being the oldest, I was targeted most often. Because of this (and a couple of other reasons) I have horrible depression.
My mom and all of my siblings would help me feel like my feelings are valid, and my grandmother would always offer to give us a place to stay.
She actually gave my mom one of her extra house keys in case things got too bad.”
6. Good folks.
“Driving in an unfamiliar place at night with no street lights, had been pouring rain all day, and I have an old, beaten car that needs to be replaced with poor visibility.
Got stuck in a grass hill/ditch after a hard to see turn. Within seconds, 4 people had pulled over to get in the mud and spent like maybe 10-20 minutes helping me to get out, asking if I was okay, and figuring out how to get me out so I wouldn’t have to get a tow.
I couldn’t thank them enough and wish I could do more. I’ve helped people on the streets before with food, car trouble, etc. But I’ve never been the one helped.
It feels really nice to see that there are other good folk out there.”
7. What a gift.
“I don’t know who did it, but one of my student loans was paid off in full by a generous donor to my university.
It was so unexpected, and I wish I could thank whoever did it.”
8. Nice of him.
“After I caught my wife cheating on me, I got drunk for like a week.
Immediately after I kicked my wife out, my brother in law came over and stayed the night with me for a whole week, just to make sure I was okay.
He’s a cool dude.”
9. Wow!
“I introduced myself to a State Supreme Court Justice who was speaking at a camp I was volunteering at. I was looking for a internship placement for my 3L year of law school and asked him if he could share my info with anybody he knew.
He took my card and had his staff call me that next week and offered me a clerkship with his office. My mediocre grades even with a decent resume should have disqualified me but he took a chance on me.
That experience made me so much more competitive career wise than I would have been without it.”
10. This is awesome.
“I’m as WASP as can be. Flat tire in the worst part of central LA.
The only building left standing is a liquor store across the street with a dozen thugs in front drinking from paper bags. Well they got up, walked accross the street…and changed my tire so i wouldn’t get my french cuffs dirty. Refused any $$.
Broke a timming belt near Manteca, Ca. Monday AM Labor Day weekend. The guy at a Texaco station said I’m closed for a family reunion but you can use the bay and tools to fix it yourself. Then he stayed, fixed it, tuned up my car and didn’t want to charge me because I’d helped.
There have been so many times…
I need to add that the guy who owned the auto parts store came in just to get me parts.”
11. Very nice.
“I know it’s small, but for my last birthday one of the ladies at my work made me a soup.
Not just a bowl, she made me a dozen packed lunches. I don’t really have a relationship with my biological parents, and it was the most loving thing I’ve had a parental figure do for me.
If I won the lottery, I’d buy her a house so she could retire and have a nice, comfy life.”
12. Still here.
“One of my friends noticed I was horribly down in the dumps, trying to kill myself each day with failure.
He actually grabbed my hand one day and pulled me up off the floor, and told me that he wouldn’t let me give up as long as he could pull me up by my hand.
He’s the reason I’m still alive today.”
13. Back on your feet.
“I was broke with nothing staying in an empty condo. My neighbors gave me a fork, a can opener, a drinking glass and a futon to sleep on.
They asked for nothing in return. Really helped me out till I got back on my feet.”
14. With you forever.
“A stranger paid for my pup to be cremated.
I’d been struggling for a month to save and it wasn’t happening. I had enough to put her down, but I was devastated that I wouldn’t be able to keep any part of her. Thanks to that person, I have a piece of my best friend with me forever and I could not be more thankful.
I’ve never loved anything as much as I loved that little stinker.”
15. Back on track.
“Back in 2018 I had a drastic decline in my mental health which led to a failed suicide attempt.
I had enough of feeling miserable so I 51/50’d myself. Afterwards the hospital gave me a number and location to follow up with my newly appointed therapist. Upon getting to their building they needed me to pay a copay because that’s what my insurance required for any doctors visits.
I didn’t have a d*mn penny on me and said I couldn’t pay. They denied me my appointment and I remember thinking that when I walked out of there I was really going to kill myself somehow.
Right before leaving, this other patient stopped me, pulled out her credit card and paid my copay. She had told me that this place and these people saved her life. She said she didn’t want me to lose mine because I couldn’t afford to be cared for. The intensity of that relief almost cured my debilitating depression, I never felt so grateful in my life.
I sincerely hope that lady is flourishing and being the best self she worked or is working hard for. She saved my life; that is the greatest kindness someone has ever done for me.”
What’s the nicest thing that someone has done for you?
Talk to us in the comments!
We can’t wait to hear your stories!
