What is the kindest thing a stranger has done or said to you?
— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 4, 2019
What’s the kindest thing that a stranger has done or said you? It’s a simple question that writer Nicole Cliffe recently asked on Twitter and that quickly turned into a viral tweet. The thousands of responses she received were heartwarming tales that highlight the good in humanity. Although the strangers in these stories could’ve easily looked the other way, they chose to step up and help a person during their time of need—asking nothing in return.
Many of the stories that were shared prove that even the smallest gestures can make a big impact on the people they helped. A tweet by Ben Berkowitz illustrates this fact. In it, he recounts a time when he was grocery shopping alone after surgery when his arm was bandaged and in a sling. His limited mobility inspired a mom and her young daughter standing in front of him in line. Unprompted by Berkowitz, the little girl unloaded all of his items for him. “16 years,” he says, “I remember like yesterday.”
Scroll down to read some of the selected stories from Cliffe’s thread. May they inspire you to act the next time you see someone who needs some help.
Writer Nicole Cliffe asked people on Twitter to share random acts of kindness that a stranger has done or said to them. Cliffe started the thread by sharing one of her own stories.
Mine: one baby of mine used to get airsick and the first time it happened we were just leaving the gate and there was puke all over my pants and the seat cushion so they had to BRING THE PLANE BACK to replace the seat and seatbelt and everyone hated me and…
— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 4, 2019
I was standing, covered in puke, holding my now only diaper-clad baby & trying not to cry while business travelers glared at me, and then a flight attendant took my baby and gave me a pair of yoga pants from her carry-on & wrote her address on a napkin so I could mail them back.
— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 4, 2019
I firmly believe that she will go to heaven no matter what she may do in the rest of her life.
— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 4, 2019
The following responses will inspire you to act the next time you see someone in need.
Oh God I can’t even tell this story and not cry.
I used to manage an LGBT bookstore, when bookstores were still a thing. One night, a caller says he thinks he might be gay and is considering self-harm. We were not a crisis center!
But as long as we’re talking, he’s safe, right?— 💁🏼♂️ (@TweetChizone) March 4, 2019
So I talk to this guy and I answer questions, and I try to be encouraging and I’m maybe sounding a little frantic and I’m definitely ignoring the 4-5 customers in the store, and this angel of a woman puts her hand on my shoulder and asks for the phone.
“My turn,” she says.— 💁🏼♂️ (@TweetChizone) March 4, 2019
And SHE, this 50-something lesbian talks to this stranger on the phone. And a LINE FORMS BEHIND HER. Every customer in that store knows that call, knows that feeling, and every person takes a turn talking to that man.
That story comforts me so much to this day.— 💁🏼♂️ (@TweetChizone) March 4, 2019
Some are multi-tweet stories, while others are short and sweet.
Grocery shopping alone after major arm surgery, in heavy bandages & sling. Get in line to check out. Woman in front of me looks at me, says something sharply to her daughter in Arabic. The little girl (9? 10?) proceeded to unload my groceries. 16 years, I remember like yesterday.
— Ben Berkowitz (@BerkowitzBT) March 4, 2019
I fainted on the subway once and a kind, elderly Chinese woman who spoke no English waited with me, held my hand, and fed me grapes while we waited for the EMTs. When they finally came, she patted my hand three times and put my hand on her heart before leaving.
— Lauren Rankin (@laurenarankin) March 4, 2019
Ex and kid and I had just gotten off a red-eye flight during which the baby was overtired, feverish and crying much of the flight. Couple in their 60s sidled up to us at baggage claim and the woman said “You two are doing a great job” and I promptly burst into tears.
— andi zeisler (@andizeisler) March 4, 2019
Saved my life by breaking a window and pulling me out of a burning house when I was 7. Broke his wrist. Cut up both hands. Saved two children, my brother and I. I don’t know his name, just that he was a biker, and he dropped his bike in the street when he saw us in the window.
— AWhitneyBrown (@TheWhitneyBrown) March 6, 2019
I was grocery shopping with my 3 year old and he really wanted some gummy treats. I explained to my son that we couldn't afford it because daddy lost his job. A man came up and said, “You dropped this,” and handed me a $50 bill.
— Tiana Smith is Editing (@tiana_smith) March 5, 2019
Mom agreed I was old enough to go to the (small-town) grocery store by myself. I had what I thought was enough to buy a Mad Magazine. It was so scary when I got to the register and she said I didn't. A little old lady passed me a dime and I wish she knew that I never forgot that.
— Ali Davis 🏳️🌈 (@Ali_Davis) March 4, 2019
A stranger stopped me from jumping from an overpass over the autobahn when I had a stillborn. He listened. He let me cry as much as I needed. Than he told me that he doesn’t understand why bad things happen to some, but to keep hope that things will get better. He was right.
— I Swear I’m Gods own sitcom (@Shuff154Lea) March 4, 2019
Had 1 day to start IVF with no warning due to aggressive cancer diagnosis. Private cost $10,000; Doc made a call to Public hospital; got in same day. Nurses all stayed late to get my treatment underway. Cost: basically free. Got two eggs and 3.5 years later had my baby daughter.
— AmNowIncognito (@AmNowIncognito) March 5, 2019
I was a single mom, just laid off, and really hurting for cash. Then my engine went. A friend of a friend heard about me, and GAVE ME A CAR, a Ford Escort. She saved me. I will never forget you, Marilyn.
— Suburban Guerrilla Ω (@SusieMadrak) March 5, 2019
We once had a man wait outside a restaurant for god knows how long. When we got to our car he told us he noticed our car seats AND that our brakes were visibly bad. He worked for a shop & replaced our brake system free to keep the kids safe because he knew it would be expensive.
— CJ Fangirls ||-// (@CJPendragon) March 4, 2019
When I was 14, my dad had an aneurysm. I was home alone with him, no cell phones, so I couldn't get in touch with my mom. At the hospital, I was in the waiting room crying when a woman came over and handed me a bunch of quarters to use the phone. Fairly certain she was an angel.
— Rachel Hawkins (@LadyHawkins) March 4, 2019
This one is especially selfless and heartwarming:
When I was married to my first husband, I had a year-old baby and it was Christmas, and I was flying Delta from Montgomery AL to Columbus OH. Ex was deployed in the UAE and I was tired and depressed and a mess. The flights got delayed due to snow, then cancelled.
— Elizabeth Sampat (@twoscooters) March 4, 2019
We ended up sitting around the gate sharing sob stories. One guy was in the army and headed home post-deployment for Christmas to see his little girl. We got to chatting and he was very kind.
Then the announcements: a bunch of people got seats for the next flight, but not me.
— Elizabeth Sampat (@twoscooters) March 4, 2019
My tired daughter was crying; I kept it together and was barely not crying with her. Then the airline rep called my name and gave me a ticket.
Army guy gave up his seat for me. I tried to insist he take it to see his family: “Any military husband would do the same for my wife.”
— Elizabeth Sampat (@twoscooters) March 4, 2019
I was able to spend Christmas with my family. He didn’t.
I’m still choked up about this 15 years later.
— Elizabeth Sampat (@twoscooters) March 4, 2019
h/t: [Bored Panda]
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