The daily news can fill us with despair. My Unsung Hero is an antidote to that despair. Each episode reveals what the news ignores: everyday acts of kindness and courage that transformed someone’s life. Listen — and renew your faith in humanity.
Recent Heroes
A favorite from 2023: John remembers the quick thinking of his hospital roommate, who called for help when John’s speech began to slur, and may have saved his life.
At a neighborhood park, a young boy noticed Natalie's young foster daughter using a walker. The boy's reaction left her with an unexpected feeling of hope for the future.
A Christmas Eve drive in a new town left Mary lost and alone — until a couple pulled over to help. What they did next turned her loneliest holiday into a lifelong memory.
On her first Christmas rush shift, teenage Stephanie froze at the register — until a customer helped her breathe again. The woman’s insistence that she “take your time” has stayed with her for decades.
After being diagnosed with breast cancer, Gillian realized she has one day left to choose a new health insurance plan. Her HR representative helped her navigate the decision — and modeled extraordinary kindness.
After fainting at work on her first day on the job, Emily found comfort not from coworkers — but from a customer.
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Podcast:
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Newsletter:
Go behind the scenes, see what Shankar is reading and find more useful resources and links.
If you’d like to submit an Unsung Hero for use on the show, please record it and click the button below to email it to [email protected]
Instructions:
Find a quiet room and open a recording app on your phone. (Here are tips on how to record yourself properly.)
Speaking in full sentences, please tell us about your Unsung Hero. No need to write down your story and read it from paper— speaking conversationally is best. A recording of 3-5 minutes is plenty. Your story should include (but does not need to be limited to):
- Your full name and where you’re from.
- The full name of your Unsung Hero, if you know it.
- A particular moment or event that prompted you to make this person your Unsung Hero. Tell us as much about that event as you can remember — what the scene was like, and what emotions you felt.
- Did you have a chance to thank them?
- If they were standing in front of you right now, what would you say?
- How does this person continue to impact you and your life?