Category: kindness of strangers

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People Talked About When Complete Strangers Did Something Nice for Them

I know we’re living in divisive times, but I believe that there are WAY more good people than bad people out there.

And I also think that most folks want to do the right thing and help their fellow Americans out, regardless of political affiliation, race, religion, or anything else that you can imagine.

And that’s why these stories of strangers helping each other out are so refreshing and positive!

Let’s check out some stories from AskReddit users about when felt the kindness of strangers.

1. Good Samaritans.

“I was 11 or 12 years old, and me and my family were going camping, but we wrecked on the interstate. The car flipped twice and landed on its side, and the camper was strewn all over the interstate.

A bunch of cars pulled over and people began lining up to help us get out of the car. They knew they couldn’t wait for the professionals to get us out of our car because they were afraid it would roll down the hill with us inside.

We climbed through the side window one by one (there were ten of us, me and my parents and my seven siblings) and they lifted us down to the ground. We were all in shock, but these complete strangers were just holding us and hugging us and telling us it would be ok.

They stayed until the ambulances arrived. It was probably one of the most comforting things I’ve ever experienced.”

2. A difficult time.

“I was going through a very difficult time because of life events. All of my friends turned away from me when I needed help the most. Someone referred me to a Church that might be able to help with food.

I broke down crying while telling the Pastor my situation. He excused himself and said he would be right back. He returned a few minutes later with several bags of food. All these years later, I still remember his kindness.”

3. A tragedy.

“We had a house fire. We all got out safely, but lost basically everything we owned.

My employer was a dress shop, and when they heard, they provided me with a whole new wardrobe from the shop. The Red Cross also helped my family to get clothing and other things that we needed.”

4. Snowed in.

“In college, living in a house by myself, got nearly 2 feet of snow. Had 2 days of classes cancelled, but needed to go in by the 3rd day.

Had no choice but to shovel the long driveway by hand. Started by the road (state highway so busy and edge piled high with salt-crusted snow/frozen slush). Someone driving a pickup with a snow plow was about to drive by but stopped and said “that looks like hard work, let me.”

He plowed the whole driveway, for free! Was done in less than 3 minutes, would have taken me all day!”

5. Making new friends.

“I was at a party and was sitting off by myself. I didn’t really know anyone and I have a really hard time talking to new people. This other girl comes up and starts a conversation with me and introduces me to her group of friends.

We are all still friends. I have trust issues and don’t make friends with people my age easily, so what this girl did helped boost my confidence and self-esteem ENORMOUSLY. I didn’t really have any friends before this except for one or two.”

6. All the small things.

“When I was probably around 10 or 11, I went into a coffee shop by myself (mom was outside with the dog) to get orange juice. They had freshly made orange juice at that particular place, so it was in bottles which the person working the counter would pour into a to go cup for whoever ordered it.

When the girl working there was pouring my juice, what was left in the bottle just perfectly filled he cup, leaving the bottle empty. I don’t know if this was a real policy or not, but she said “Oh, looks like the bottle ran out, so I’d better just give this to you for free! Have a nice day!”

I was super flustered because I was already anxious for having to order for myself so I just said thanks and ran out to my mom (she made me go back in to tip her haha). I don’t know why, but it still sticks in *my* mind after all these years, and she probably forgot about it by the next week.

I guess that’s the thing with doing small things for people; there’s no reason not to because it could affect them positively for a long time, and you won’t even think much of it.”

7. The long way home.

“In 2014 I walked from my home in the Netherlands to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, almost 3000 kilometers (between 1500 and 2000 miles, for the US readers). Time and again I have been struck with the kindness of people.

From people who, when I asked them to fill my water bottle, added some ice cubes “because it’s so warm”, to people who invited me in for a beer or a glass of wine in the shadow before continuing. Or even people who approached me in the street to ask if I had a place to sleep for the night, and invited me into their homes if I didn’t.

Or mayors of small villages who opened up the sporting facilities so I could shower and sleep there. Or people who let me set up my tent in their garden. I can go on for hours.

If the news media are trying to make you believe that the world is a bad or dangerous place, there is really nothing better to regain your confidence in humanity than to take your backpack and go on a long walk for a few months (I took 5 months; best adventure in my life so far).

Most individuals are okay; it’s when they organize themselves into groups that you have to be careful.”

8. These are for you.

“Once when I was crying on the side walk and a complete stranger gave me a bouquet of lilacs I calmed down immediately.”

9. Helping hands.

“When I was a teenager, I was on my way to my dad’s house and had to drive through the country to get there.

I was low on gas and I figured I could make it there in time to hit my dad up for some gas cash. I guessed wrong and my car died. So there I was, a teenaged girl, stuck on the side of the road, in the middle of nowhere, and it was getting dark. BTW this was in the 1980s, so no cell phones yet. I was really stranded.

A family pulled up and asked me what the problem was, and I explained. They lived on a nearby farm, and they had a fuel pump for their farm equipment. They brought enough gas in a gas can to get my car started, and then they insisted that I come over to their place to top off the tank.

They seemed genuinely embarrassed when I thanked them profusely, saying, “Ain’t nothing, that’s just the way folks are around here.””

10. You’ll always remember.

“I was about 8 and had my first phone (no cell service or anything just games and pics) and I went to Walmart. I had to go to the restroom so I put my phone in the cart and told my dad it was there.

He forgot and went to the restroom as well, and when i got back my phone was gone. We went to the management and they said that they haven’t seen it. By this time i was crying and we needed to leave. As I was leaving an older lady came in and was holding my phone.

She said that she had found it in the parking lot and she had guessed that someone dropped it so she would take it to lost and found. Well we said what happened and we realized that someone had tried to get into it and I guess they couldn’t so they just left it in the parking lot.

We tried to repay the lady but she said that she would have done the same thing for her grandchildren if she had any. I never saw the lady again but I will always remember her kindness.”

11. It’s on her.

“My cousin and I were at a trampoline park and he wanted to get some candy but none of us had any money.

The lady behind us paid for it. It’s random acts of kindness like this that make me smile.”

12. A very kind lady.

“There was a big storm while we were on a road trip and we stopped at a gas station to get food, and wait out the storm a while. We had made ourselves some cup o noodles but we couldn’t find forks.

Luckily this kind lady called Keisha, helped us and asked some Starbucks employee to get “us two babies” some forks. She was really nice, and I wont forget Miss. Keisha.

We could’ve just gotten over our social anxiety and just asked for forks our selves but I’m real grateful we didn’t have to.”

13. Pass it on.

“Last week I was coming home from a funeral for my 21 year old nephew. I was just numb. I decided to stop at the store and get something to eat later. I parked, ran inside and spent about 45 minutes looking and trying to shake the day away.

I went to pay for my item and found my wallet was not in my pocket! I left the item I was going to buy and ran out to my car, utterly freaking out wondering where/what my wallet, with everything in it, had gone. As I got to my car I saw the door was open and things were laying all over the ground. My heart sank. I’d been broken into. Did I leave the door unlocked?

As I got a few steps closer I saw a tall, skinny man standing there. Then I got scared. I was far away from the store and no one was around. The man called to me and asked if this was my car and I said yes? He explained that he’d been in his car, opposite me, when I had left and when I closed my car door the seat belt had gotten in the way of the door closing, and it didn’t close.

He’d gotten out to close it for me and then saw my wallet had fallen on the ground, and he saw a credit card laying there. He had stood there this whole time guarding it, making sure no one took anything and he was careful not to touch anything. He had just waited for me to come back. To say I was stunned and incredulous is an understatement.

45 minutes this man had just stood there, for me, a stranger. Everything I had was there for the taking and if he wasn’t such an angel he could have had and trashed my whole life as my driver’s license, some money, credit cards, my ATM card were all there.

I thanked him 100 times and he kept smiling, like it was nothing. I told him he was my angel and he said, “just pass it on”.”

How about you?

Have you ever had a stranger help you out in a big way?

If so, tell us your stories in the comments. We look forward to hearing from you.

The post People Talked About When Complete Strangers Did Something Nice for Them appeared first on UberFacts.

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People Share Stories About When Total Strangers Showed Them Kindness

I really hope that the stories you’re about to read will not only make you appreciate the times that a stranger has helped you out but will also encourage you to lend a helping hand next time you see someone who needs some assistance.

Do you think you’re up for that? I thought you’d say YES!

Here are some heartwarming stories from AskReddit users who got big helping hands from total strangers.

1. The race.

“I was running a 5k race by myself when I was 10. It was really cold and the road I was running on was covered with cracks.

There were a lot of people that were a lot older than me and I was scared and alone. I started the race fine but when I got near the finish, there was a part on the road that had a huge hole. I didn’t see the hole and I fell.

I was by myself and I was now hurt. but then a bunch of the other runners stopped and helped me up and made sure I was ok. They asked if I had someone with me and I said no so they ran with me to the finish.

My leg was bleeding a bit so they stayed with me until I got my leg wrapped up and I found my family. I won’t forget those 2 women and 3 men that helped me.”

2. Lost at Disney.

“Once, I was lost in Disney World because I was staring at some toys in a shop, and my parents kept walking. As soon as I noticed I was lost, an elderly couple came by.

I asked them if they had seen my parents. They said no, but they spent the rest of the afternoon helping me try to find my parents, even though that was their last day in Disney.

And to top it all off, once we found my parents, they bought me the toy I was staring at when my parents accidentally left without me.”

3. Pitching in.

“I have had complete strangers from the internet contribute toward my beloved dog’s surgery costs.

We aren’t out of the woods yet, but the kindness of those strangers will stay with me forever.”

4. You helped out!

“When I was like 7, I went to Utah for the first time while it was snowing! (I live in the dry desert so we don’t ever get snow) so me and my cousins went and thought that it was so “bad” to go and dust the snow off peoples cars.

So when we were in the middle of doing so, the garage opened. We all scattered and hid. The guy was equipped with something you would use to take the snow off a car.

But his job was already done, for we had done it for him. He saw our little heads poking out and we thought we were in trouble. However the guy said “hey! You saved me from being late to work!” And he gave us candy 😄”

5. At the museum.

“Many years ago the Seattle Art Museum had a showing of Impressionist paintings from the Louvre. It was attracting massive crowds.

On the last day of the exhibit, I got there very early only to find the line already going around the block. After two hours, we were told that it would still be about four hours before we made it to the front of the line but that if anyone bought a season’s pass to the museum, they could go in right away.

The woman behind me (a stranger) decided to buy the pass, so she left the line and went in. I didn’t have the money for a season pass and was debating whether or not I wanted to wait another four hours or just go home. Then I noticed the woman walking back down the line, looking intently at everyone she passed.

She noticed me and said that she bought season passes for her and her boyfriend but he was out of town. So she gave me his ticket for the day and then she headed back into the museum before I could even thank her. It was so cool to be able to leave the line and walk right into the showing when I was expecting a four hour wait!”

6. I still weep…

“After getting away from an abusive relationship, I went to a local Catholic Charity to ask for clothing suitable to a job interview. I was encouraged to accept as much clothing as I wished so I would have enough for at least a week’s work.

As I chose the items, the woman left the room. When she came back she was carrying 4 bags of food for my son and I. That was 20 years ago and I still weep when remembering her kindness. I got the job. My son and I got back on our feet.”

7. Two nice people!

“I was at a Wal-Mart and I was in the check out line and I dropped something and I didn’t have a cart at all so I used my arms to carry everything.

This person comes and takes my stuff out of my arms and puts it on the conveyor belt and I didn’t have enough money on me so the person in the next lane over gave me a dollar to pay for my things.”

8. A good deed.

“When I was little, some older kids were bullying me.

A stranger stopped and explained why it’s not right to do that and said that it probably means that they have some trouble in their homes or something like that.

So they got embarrassed and stopped. I was and still am thankful for that.”

9. It’s on me.

“Someone paid for my food at McDonalds.

We also did it for the people behind us and the chain according to the cashier, went on for the whole day. That’s what one act of kindness can do.

Be kind today.”

10. This is awesome.

“It was last week when I voted early at FAMU in Florida. I’m in a walker after hip surgery. I asked the young man at the ballot box drop off station, while in my car, where handicapped parking was since I’d come to vote in person. He pointed down the road.

When I got to the lot it turned out it was on a steep hill. I got out of my car but decided there was no way I could get up the hill and down the road a block On my own and I was preparing to leave, massively disappointed, when there he came, having found someone else to take care of his station,, to help me.

It took me an hour to vote even though there was no line, and he was at my side the whole way. It was an awesome achievement for me. And it was only possible because of his spirit.”

11. Summer camp.

“I was ten years old, and I was at a summer camp.

For some background, at home I was being abused by an uncaring father who’s favorite thing to tell me was how stupid I was, how greedy, and what a bad person. A friend of mine was joking around and told me that I was stupid, which eventually triggered me into a panic attack. I was hyperventilating and crying in the middle of a large group, but one camp leader noticed.

She pulled me away from the crowd, had me take a walk with her to find a bench. She didn’t even know my name, but she pulled me in her lap and hugged me tight, rocking me and wiping my tears away when I finished. Every time my mind falls to the words of my ex-father, I instead turn my mind to her.

I will never forget that day, and looking back on it from a much better place and mental wellness view, it still makes me smile.”

12. Very wholesome.

“I was an older college student (in my 40’s) and didn’t have a lot of money. I was in the snack bar and wanted a bottled drink. I got it out of the cooler, counted my money, decided I didn’t have enough, and put it back.

Some younger college students saw me and insisted on paying for it. I told them they didn’t have to do that, but they wanted to. That was so nice of them. I have paid it forward several times since then.”

13. Support system.

“I was living in a new city & just made a great group of friends. Shortly thereafter my dad got sick & passed away. These women who were complete strangers 6 months earlier, all reached out to me & shared their experiences and support.

I was in my 30′ & felt like the only person in the world without a dad. 4 of my new friends also had lost their dads & knew just what to say so I didn’t feel so devastatingly alone. It truly was my life raft that kept me above water.”

Now we want to hear from you.

In the comments, tell us your own stories of receiving help from total strangers.

Please and thank you!

The post People Share Stories About When Total Strangers Showed Them Kindness appeared first on UberFacts.

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People Discuss Their Wholesome Encounters With Complete Strangers

Several years back, I was at a mechanic’s shop and one of the workers came out and told a customer who was an elderly woman that the repairs on her car were going to cost about $2,000.

The woman was visibly upset and told the mechanic she just couldn’t afford it so she’d have to be on her way. Another customer, a middle-aged man, stepped in and said to put her repairs on his bill and that he would cover the whole thing.

The woman tried to protest, but the man said just to help someone out in the future when she was able to.

It was definitely the nicest thing that I’ve seen someone do for a total stranger.

Do you want some more stories like this?

It’s time to get wholesome with a bunch of AskReddit users.

1. “It was awesome.”

“I was in Edinburgh, traveling alone. I met some guys at the hostel and we went to a club, but it was weird, so I came back to the hostel. The hostel is on the Royal Mile. It’s 2am and there is a girl doing poi juggling. I did some poi juggling myself, so I stopped to watch, and when she stopped, started talking to her.

I asked here where she was from. She said Brazil. So, being a stereotype guy like I was, I asked here whether she knew capoeira. She did.

So, on Friday night, on the Royal Mile, me and a stranger did capoeira. It was more than 20 years ago, and I still remember it. It was awesome.”

2. It was just an accident.

“Driving on the highway, the car in front of me suddenly swerved to take an exit, and then tried to swerve back onto the highway, almost sideswiping me in the process.

Luckily there was no one to my left, so I veered into the left lane and avoided an accident. A few moments later I’m passing her, and she very sheepishly looks up at me, kind of anticipating and expecting someone to cuss her out.

Well, I had just learned a new road trip trick. Flipping people off is stupid, but giving them a thumbs down REALLY stays with someone. It’s the “I’m not mad I’m disappointed” of the road. I had a huge *ss thumbs down queued up for this driver, but when I saw her face I immediately knew she didn’t mean to, she was embarrassed, and she already felt bad enough.

So instead I flashed her a huge smile, dramatically and jokingly wiped sweat from my brow, and gave her a giant thumbs up. She smiled and laughed and honestly it’s one of my favorite moments in my life.”

3. Generosity.

“I had just lost my job and my dad had his card stolen. He was waiting on the bank but completely out of food and living in an old, run down RV.

I would have figured SOMETHING out. I’d die before I let him starve. Right as he’s almost in tears talking to me about it, someone knocked on the door.

A lady had food for someone in an RV, but those people had vacated the parking lot and she wanted to know if my dad needed any. (Some sort of local helping hands org.)

There was everything from canned goods, to fresh meat, milk, pasta. Everything. She had bought it with her own money and didn’t want it to go to waste.

I’ll never forget the timing, or her generosity.”

4. At the baseball game.

“I’m a wheelchair user. At a baseball game, a little girl came running up to me and climbed on to my lap.

Her mom was apologetic but I told her it was fine, no worries– looking at the girl’s face, I could tell she had some kind of developmental disability. Mom explained to me that the little girl’s grandfather used a wheelchair and she missed him.

I rolled around a little to give her a ride, she giggled and had a good time, then she climbed off and went back to her mom.”

5. A nice old fella.

“I was once traveling through an old town, when I stopped at a small shop to buy some packaged water.

I was in my tweens at that time, so I jumped out of my car and went to buy, a very old man sat at the shop, once I bought everything he took out an ice-cream and handed it to me, as I was about to take the bottles with me he picked the bottles himself and walked with me to the car so that I I could have my ice cream.

He was very old and scaly, very thin too. And once he saw that I had a younger sister he rushed back to the shop to bring out another ice cream for her. I insisted that he take money for it.

But he didn’t take it and just smiled. Maybe we reminded him of his grandchildren I presume.”

6. A good night.

“Went to a bar to meet a date and got ghosted.

So I’m sitting at the bar drinking alone and saw a woman being harassed by a drunk guy. I intervened and she acted as if she’d been waiting for me. The drunk got lost and the woman and I sat together at the bar for a couple hours. We had a really great time, lots of smiles and laughs.

There were sparks for sure. She asked for my phone and started talking selfies, so I took it back from her to get some better photos. Probably captured 50 or so, some really candid ones and some silly poses. After we laughed about the photos, she got up to leave.

I asked for her number and if we could go out sometime, but she declined. She thanked me for the wonderful night and said something along the lines of “let’s just leave it at this and enjoy the memory.”

Somehow I felt ok with that. I kept her photos for several years and every time I saw them they instantly brought a smile to my face. I never even knew her name but it was one of the best dates of my life.”

7. Honeymoon in Greece.

“On my honeymoon in Greece we nearly got stranded driving our little scooter back from a day trip.

Finally found a petrol station in this village but it was during afternoon nap/siesta time. We apologised as best we could in the little Greek we knew. The guy obliged but looked a little annoyed. He casually asks where we are from and we tell him New Zealand.

His face lights up and is amazed because he had never met someone from NZ before. He asks us what are we doing so far away from home, we tell him that it’s our honeymoon.

He tells us to wait there and comes back with a bottle of wine that’s obviously worth more than the €6 of petrol we are buying. He refuses for us to round up the bill or for us to buy anything.

He just tells us “honeymoon is honeymoon, be happy, go”

Hands down one of the best highlights of our trip.”

8. Can still picture it.

“The most wholesome and memorable experience was in a crowded New York airport with an elderly lady.

I saw her crying and looking bewildered as she sat alone in the main concourse. So I sat down next to her and asked if I could help.

She said she was going to a family member’s funeral on the west coast and had never been in an airport. The lady was “hard of hearing” and the loud speaker announcements just compounded her confusion – to the point where she was physically trembling.

At that point, as I once noted here in ask reddit, I guided her through security and directly to her gate, asking the attendants to give her special assistance (especially with her inability to discern broadcast announcements).

As an attendant escorted her for boarding, the lady turned, waved, and blew a kiss in my direction. To this day, I can still picture her vividly.”

9. Bless her.

“I started going back to the gym. First day saw a personal trainer and took some pre-workout.

I was pushed pretty hard and by the time I left, I was dizzy, light headed and nauseous. On my drive home my symptoms got worse and progressed to the point where my arms and legs went tingly to numb, lost fine motor control, hyperventilating and my speech became nearly unintelligible.

My hands locked up and I couldn’t open them or move my fingers. I was essentially temporarily handicapped but I was still thinking straight.

I pulled over, hazards on, crawled out and onto the curb, fumbling about dialing 911. The operator couldn’t understand me and I didn’t know what was happening to me and was panicking.

A woman pulled up behind me, got out and asked what was happening, if I was okay. I shook my head and handed her the phone that says “911” on the screen. I did my best to tell her what was wrong but she could also see the state I was in.

She told the operator what she saw, where we were. She got me a blanket from her car and wrapped it around me and stayed with me until help arrived.

I looked up at her and managed to say the most defeated, desperate thank you I could muster before she left. I recovered shortly after and didn’t need to go to the hospital, but was still picked up by family.

Bless that woman, wherever she is.”

10. A miracle.

“I was in Walmart one day and some dude was blocking the aisle where the item I needed was located.

I then heard him ask a Walmart employee where the cabinet liners were. She proceeded to say she wasn’t sure and started to send him to the wrong location.

I nosily piped up: I know where they are. If you want to follow me I will take you to them because I just bought some last week.

The man: Oh, ok. Thank you.

He followed me to the opposite side of the store and I showed him where they were. He thanked me again and I hurried back to the other side of the store to get what I needed.

Five minutes later at the self checkouts the man showed up and I saw him just hanging around with his bag of purchases on his arm. When it came time to pay he stepped up and insisted on paying for my items. I thanked him profusely.

At the time I only had $35 in my bank account and was trying to purchase food for the week. This man who I was so annoyed with helped me so much. I still tear up when I think of his kindness.

“I am a single mother of two wonderful kids and this was my miracle.

11. Uplifted and humbled.

“I was flying between Melbourne and Brisbane and found myself sitting next to a nun not much older than me.

We chatted for the whole two hours about life, death and infinity. It was really pleasant, much more than I thought it would be.

As we were landing, after we exchanged goodbyes, she looked me straight in the eyes, touched me on the arm, and said, ” God bless you”.

I felt uplifted and strangely humbled, especially as I am an atheist.”

12. We’ve met before…

“I had been living and struggling in NYC for three years, when my dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.

I decided to move back down south to be closer and help out. It was a huge, scary, life-changing decision and I didn’t know if I was making the right call—I had been working in book publishing and trying to follow my dreams but it just wasn’t what I thought it would be.

On one of my last nights in town, I got into a cab to meet someone for dinner. The eerily prophetic cab driver just looked at me in the mirror and asked, “you are leaving this city for good?” I told him I was and he said “yes, you have met many fancy animals with human faces.”

As I got out of the car and said goodbye, he said “well, we have met before 1,000 years ago or so, and I expect we will again.”

I think about that guy a lot. And yes, moving was the right decision!”

13. At the red light.

“I’m sitting at a red light with my wife and son. I’m directly behind a yellow school bus full of kids.

Some of the kids were just being kids and making faces out the window at cars, etc. A small group of kids were gathered near the back of the bus looking at us.

All of a sudden, one kid does the “Gangnam Style” crossing the wrists and bobbing the hands up and down part.

I do it right back to him, with a huge grin on my face. Then I do the part where you stick your arm up in the air and twirl it around while moving your head back and forth.

By this time just about the entire bus was watching and as the light turned green I heard them absolutely erupting with laughter.

Best red light ever.”

14. A small gesture.

“A few years ago, I was experiencing deep depression.

My life was a mess, my apartment was a mess, I was a mess. For a moment, I decided to just go to the park and sit for a while, as I was really at the end of my rope and had zero idea on what to do.

Out of nowhere, a kid, possibly about three or four years, comes and hands me three yellow dandelions and runs back to her mom.

I don’t know why, but I always remember that. That day, I went home and cleaned my apartment and made it more tidy. I wouldn’t say that my life miraculously changed, but I will say that, that one moment of kindness, that neither the kid nor the mom probably remember, was one of the most memorable moments in my life.”

Okay, now it’s your turn!

In the comments, tell us about the most wholesome experience you’ve ever had with a stranger.

We’d love to hear from you!

The post People Discuss Their Wholesome Encounters With Complete Strangers appeared first on UberFacts.

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A Woman Wrote a Heartfelt Post to the Nurse Who Helped Her Brother After His Tragic Accident

These days, there is so much hate and overall unpleasantness being spread around on social media so often that it’s refreshing to see a story like this, even though it is based around a terrible tragedy.

A woman named Lydia Graham reached out on Facebook to try to find an off-duty nurse who showed incredible bravery when her brother Ian M. Graham died in a motorcycle accident in North Carolina.

Posted by Ian M. Graham on Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Here is Lydia Graham’s Facebook post in its entirety:

“Hi you guys/strangers who see this….

I feel funny writing this, and have debated writing it for a while now. I’ve decided I want to go for it, and the only way I can really think to get it out there is on facebook. I’d really appreciate if you’d share.

I’m trying to find the woman who witnessed and responded to an accident on September 10, 2014 around 6:30 PM on Route 147 between Chapel Hill St and Swift Ave in Durham, North Carolina.

What I know about this woman is this:

-she is (or was at the time) a nurse at Duke Hospital
-I *believe* she told the police she had just finished her shift at the hospital and was driving home, but that is not 100% verifiable
-She performed an emergency airway procedure on a stranger, in the middle of a busy road, shielding his body from oncoming traffic
-I was told she called the police the following week to ask about his progress, and was informed that he had passed away

I’m asking that you share this, especially if you are in North Carolina/the Durham area. If you know any medical staff at Duke Hospital, I ask especially that you share with them.

I’d like to find her, because I’d like to send her the following message.

Thank you.

——

You don’t know me; you don’t know I exist. I feel like I know you. I know you exist. I’ve been wanting to tell you this for a while now.

In September 2014, you witnessed a gruesome accident. I am so sorry that that happened to you. I can imagine that it has probably haunted you at least a little ever since.

Your reaction was to get out of your car and put yourself into a dangerous and scary situation in order to shield and keep alive a complete stranger, in the middle of a busy road. I know that that was scary and traumatic for you. I know you saw things nobody wants to see. I’m sure you feared for your own safety, and I’m sure it was really difficult for you to find out that the man you threw yourself into helping and saving did not survive despite it all.

His name was Ian M. Graham. He was my brother.

Posted by Ian M. Graham on Wednesday, January 15, 2014

The post continues…

Because of you, he reached the hospital alive. He received the best medical attention and care any person could possibly receive.

I want you to know there is nothing- truly nothing- you could have done better or differently. I want you to know you did everything perfectly.

I want you to know that you did not save Ian’s life only because Ian’s life could not be saved.

But more importantly, I want you to know that that day, your courage and your humanity and your selflessness actually saved many lives.

Ian was an organ donor, and because he made it to the hospital and onto a ventilator alive, his organs were viable.

taken by Carter Smith at the wedding of Tina Patterson-Marcinkevich and Aaron Patterson-Marcinkevich

Posted by Ian M. Graham on Monday, July 28, 2014

Ian’s life actually helped save others, as the post reveals…

I want you to know that you saved the life of a 60 year old man with a wife of 36 years, a daughter and 2 grandchildren. He received a kidney from Ian.

I want you to know that you saved the life of a 66 year old man with 3 children and 7 grandchildren. He received Ian’s other kidney.

I want you to know that you saved the life of a man in his 50s, who had already penned his own obituary when he received the call letting him know that he was going to get Ian’s liver. His obituary can wait; because of you, his story is not done.

I want you to know that you are the reason a newborn child received a desperately needed heart valve the day Ian left this world.

I want you to know that you’re the reason a young child will not go blind after all. Because of you, she received Ian’s corneas.

Ian may have died days after the accident but I want to make sure you know that it was the accident that killed Ian, full stop. And because of you, multiple lives were saved and/or dramatically improved.

Also because of you, my brother didn’t die alone on the side of a road, scared or in pain. Because of you, my brother died with me holding his hand, whispering how it was OK for him to go now. He was in no pain. He was surrounded by pure love. Because of you, I got to say goodbye.

If my brother were still here he would have long ago tried to track you down, and had you been receptive he would have gone to any lengths to buy you a beer and give you the warmest, most amazing hug you’ve ever received. That’s the kind of guy he was. I owe it to him and to you to try to do the same.

Here my Halloween costume, Charlottesville. My name is "your ass on November 9th."

Posted by Ian M. Graham on Thursday, October 31, 2013

And get ready to get the tissues…

On a personal note, I want you to know that for a long time following the accident, you are the reason I woke up every morning and decided that on that particular day, I still wanted to be alive too. Because on so many days, the faith and love you gave me in and for humanity were the only things stronger than the devastation of what happened to me. And on those days I got up and I got through it. Because of you.

I’ve long thought it was unfair that you only knew Ian died, and nothing else. I’m sorry it took me this long to decide to write this and try and see if it could reach you. You deserve to know that you are a hero.

You are my hero.

I don’t know your name. I don’t know who you are. I don’t know if we have anything in common. But I want you to know, finally, that I love you.”

Graham added an update to her Facebook post:

“**I’m editing this to say: I found her and we’re in touch. Thank you. I’m beyond grateful and humbled that all of these people helped me so quickly and so effectively. I love you all, too. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.**”

A very sad story, but a timely reminder that there are still a lot of great people out there willing to put themselves in danger to help others in times of need.

The post A Woman Wrote a Heartfelt Post to the Nurse Who Helped Her Brother After His Tragic Accident appeared first on UberFacts.