20+ True Stories of Everyday Heroes Who Restored Faith in Humanity

Heroes don’t always wear capes or appear on the news. Sometimes they’re the person who helps you carry your groceries when they see you can’t do it alone, the stranger who pays for a coffee for someone in need, or the neighbor who offers her home as shelter in a storm without hesitation. In this article, we have collected real-life stories of ordinary people who, through small (or large) gestures of kindness, managed to change someone else’s day — or even life.

“To the person who noticed my sunroof open during a thunderstorm... Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your random act of kindness.”

• When my coat was stolen at work (factory job, I was 17), all my co-workers on my team went in and bought me a new one! I almost cried there and then! @Apostate_Mage / Reddit
• I was driving and hit another car. He had stopped to make a turn and I just wasn’t paying attention. I rear-ended his car at about 30 miles per hour. My car’s airbags went off. I managed to pull over to the side and he completed his turn.
  I was in shock and went right out onto the highway. The other driver ran out and pulled me to safety and as I was sobbing and apologizing, he just gave me a big hug and kept telling me it’s okay, we’re okay, cars can be fixed. He was so sweet and calm when I was a complete mess.
  A week later, I found out from my co-worker that the man I hit had lost his wife to cancer the week before. Just....wow. @Verticalparachute / Reddit
• I remember when a plane crashed into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, DC, and everyone landed in the icy Potomac River, one of the passengers helped several other people into the rescue harness of a helicopter before slipping under the water and drowning. Broke my heart. @Cogitotoro / Reddit

“A huge selfless act of kindness.”

• I almost passed a test, but didn’t make the cut by a very small number of points. This person, who may or may not have considered me a friend, appealed a question that he felt was wrongly worded and therefore invalid. That was enough for me to pass. They definitely didn’t need any more points for themselves. @LeveCadeirada / Reddit
• When I was in the 3rd grade, my teacher invited me to have dinner with her and her family. My home life was not good. I never had a father. I did not know what a normal family was like until that dinner and that night at her house.
  It was just so quiet and stable. I remember that day as if it was yesterday. It was almost 40 years ago. It made me realize that there is another way to exist. @Fiascoe / Reddit
• One night it was raining cats and dogs and my friend, my girlfriend and I were walking from one bar to another. My friend had an umbrella, and then my girlfriend and I shared an umbrella. As we were walking, this mother and her newborn baby were walking in the rain, getting soaked, baby crying, etc.
  As they were about to run past us, my friend literally without a second thought handed her his umbrella and he kept walking and continued to get completely soaked. It was a small thing, but it really changed my perspective. @Junglebutton / Reddit

“A restaurant in my town has a board with ’no questions asked’ prepaid meals for people in need.”

• I was leaving my dad’s house after he and I had talked about him being diagnosed with ALS (and already having Parkinson’s). I was completely devastated. I texted my friend and just said, “I need to unload, please meet me at X (a bar we used to frequent)”. Ten minutes later, he was there with me. @Paula_Sub / Reddit
• My daughter has a progressive neurological problem that is slowly taking away her right side. A few years ago, when she was 12 and could still ride a bike, we were riding to a place to watch fireworks on the 4th of July. She was having trouble riding her bike and was a little unsteady and couldn’t make quick turns. We didn’t go far.
  As she passed a new Mini Cooper, she was struggling to keep her bike straight and her handlebar hit the side mirror of the guy’s Mini. But the man just smiled and waved us on, saying everything was fine. I think he felt that my daughter had to work extra hard to ride her bike.
  After we got out of the way, I went to thank the guy, but he drove off. I know she broke the glass on his mirror, I heard it. I’ll never forget the guy’s face and how compassionate and understanding he was. @macva99 / Reddit
• There is a lady who started showing up at my high school sporting events my senior year. She goes to every single event (even away games) and takes professional photos of all the athletes and band members.
  Then she turns around and gives the photos to the students’ families. No watermarks or anything. Last year alone, she donated over 50,000 photos to the students and the school. She is one of the most selfless people I’ve ever met.
  Last year she won the distinguished alumni award for volunteering to do this and gave a speech explaining why she does it. She surprised everyone: the lady said that she believes that every child and their families should be able to remember these moments forever, regardless of whether or not the children’s parents can afford a camera or transportation to these sporting events. @PlaidDragon / Reddit

“A lady donated about 25k of cat food to help me feed a colony of cats.”

• I have a genetic condition that makes me look pretty awful. People often feel uncomfortable around me. I get it, totally — but it still hurts.
  One night I was at a church activity, and they told everyone they could go target shooting. That’s not my thing, so I just stayed by the campfire. After everyone left, a girl stayed with me, and we just talked.
  While we were talking, some bugs came and landed on my face. She looked at me and suddenly brushed them away like it was the most normal thing in the world. People never touch me at all — or at least not without fear.
  I know this is not much — but I think she must have gone through a lot in her life — to be around someone like me and not be afraid. It’s been years since that happened, and I still get a lump in my throat just thinking about it. @beyondwhatis / Reddit
• At a water park with my cousin and her 3-year-old (at the time) daughter. They went down a slide together and at the bottom my older cousin somehow got stuck underwater. I looked over and just saw her daughter being held slightly above the water so she could breathe.
  Before I could get over there to help, a couple came over and the lady grabbed the baby while the man worked on getting a lifeguard and trying to get my cousin out of the slide thing that she was stuck in. Very selfless acts by both parties. @PaintedBees18 / Reddit
• I was very depressed at that time, and I was sitting on a bench outside on the porch when my 4-year-old cousin came and stood on the bench and just hugged me. I asked her what she was doing, and she replied “maya korchi” which means “showing you love”. I still think about that when I am feeling down. @nerdywiz009 / Reddit

“My 74-year-old neighbor asked me to paint her nails... I asked her what color she wanted, and she said, ’I want THAT color!!!’ Now we match.”

• One time I ran to see my car being towed, and the tow truck driver was a giant, mean person. It was my fault, but I had recently moved out of the neighborhood and didn’t realize they had changed the parking laws on that block after I moved.
  I was super upset and some random guy on the street offered to pay the tow truck driver not to take my car, but the driver refused (probably illegal for him to accept — I guess he was just doing his job). After the driver refused, the random guy walked away for a few minutes and then came back and handed me a huge wad of cash. I tried to refuse, but he looked me dead in the eye and said, “I INSIST.”
  And then he was gone. The $250 he gave me covered the ridiculous towing fee and was probably the nicest thing a stranger has ever done for me. @alpharatsnest / Reddit
• I was having a really bad depressive episode and this man and his dog were walking down the street. I was waiting for my food and the man’s dog was walking with her leash dragging on the ground. Suddenly, she came up to me and sat down on my feet and looked up at me and refused to move for about 5 minutes.
  I don’t know if the man realized I needed this or what, but he didn’t say or do anything as I stood there crying and petting his dog. When the dog decided she was done, she got up, and they left, and I never saw them again. @rizcriz / Reddit
• I work in a grocery store. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people pay for someone’s groceries when their payment didn’t go through. Anywhere from $50 to $350.
  The $350 was an old lady whose EBT card would not work. After the old lady walked away and left the lady behind, she said to charge her for it. Don’t say anything and have a bagger follow her out with the groceries. She didn’t want any credit for it. @AirVengeance / Reddit

“This makes me cry.”

• I am a paramedic. Dispatched to a fire to stand by. We happened to be one of the first units on the scene along with an officer. The house is fully engulfed and outside this woman is frantic that her husband in a wheelchair is stuck in the doorway.
  Without question, the officer sprints inside to grab him. Without any fire gear or protection. My partner and I looked at each other and followed him.
  Fortunately, the gentleman in the house was close to the door, and we were able to get him out easily with minimal danger. What makes it selfless, though, is that the officer didn’t know he was going in and didn’t even question his own safety for a second when he heard someone was stuck. @Unknown author / Reddit
• My ex’s mother took me in for a few months and refused to take any money from me. My ex didn’t tell her how bad my situation was. If she hadn’t taken me in, I would have literally been homeless.
  I had already gone to the local government for emergency housing and to the homeless shelter. Neither could help me. All because my mom went back on her word and said I could move in with her if I couldn’t pay the rent on the house she owned that month when I was temporarily unemployed. @Unknown author / Reddit
• Right after I lost my boyfriend and I started working again, I really tried to smile and be nice to the customers, even though I didn’t always feel it.
  One day a random customer had gone out of her way to buy a card and send it to the store (didn’t know my name, just said “cashier with long hair, Tuesday”) and inside it said: “I don’t know what’s wrong sweetie, but I could feel a great sadness with you, I want you to think of me sending this card and know that people care about you.”
  When I read that, I just broke down and cried, and I still have the card. @BECKYISHERE / Reddit

Kindness has the power to transform moments, to turn a gray day into one filled with hope. And best of all, you don’t have to be a superhero to make a difference: a sincere gesture can be enough to change someone’s world. If you were inspired by these stories, we encourage you to read this article for more incredible examples of how generosity can make the world a better place.