My Unsung Hero

When he was 15, Eric lost his mother to suicide. When he returned to school, most adults avoided the subject — until his chorus director got up from the piano and gave him a wordless hug.

In high school, Elizabeth’s choir solo ended in embarrassment after her high note came booming through the mic. But a classmate’s kind words restored her confidence just when she needed it.

When Silvana realized she didn’t have enough money to finish the school year in college, her teacher told her she had been accepted to a scholarship. Later she learned the truth: the “scholarship” was from him.

Minutes before an important job interview, Oliver realized he’d forgotten his dress shirt. A stranger offered a kind and unexpected solution.

When she was in the sixth grade, Tanya’s world was unraveling. One day, overcome with grief, she cried in class — and her teacher, Mrs. Welch, wrapped Tanya in a hug.

Earlier this year, Lara was walking her large Rottweiler, The Dude, when fireworks went off nearby. The Dude panicked, and Lara began to worry she wouldn’t be able to manage the situation on her own. Then a stranger offered to help, ensuring both Lara and The Dude got home safely. Podcast: Subscribe to the My

When Juli’s car ran out of gas in the middle of the road, three men from a nearby homeless encampment rushed over to push her car to safety.

In 1980, backpacking alone to Greece, Elaine was attacked on a train. Two strangers stepped in, and stayed by her side for nearly the entire 12-hour ride.

After his dad left, Patrick’s guidance counselor taught him to tie a tie — and showed him he wasn’t alone. Years later, he passed that lesson on to his own son.

In the days after her mother’s death, Ashley struggled with guilt. She had been the one to request a “Do Not Resuscitate” order, at her mother’s request. Still, Ashley wondered if she’d made the right choice. Then a nurse made a phone call that changed her life.