It only takes one act of kindness to brighten a gloomy day and, at times, restore our faith in life. Today, we’re sharing uplifting, true-life stories of strangers—or near-strangers—stepping in with acts of compassion just when they were needed most. Prepare for an uplifting dose of positivism that will warm your heart.
Story 1:
I grew up very poor. When I was 13, I was at a classmate’s house and ended up staying for dinner. My mouth watered at the sight of the golden roast on the table. As everyone began to eat, I took a bite, but her mom’s sharp gaze made me freeze. In front of everyone, she declared, “Did you seriously take that little? That’s not nearly enough!”
Before I could react, she grabbed my plate and heaped it with food. I was stunned but touched—I think she understood just how much that meal meant to me. The food was delicious, and I savored every bite. As I ate, everyone at the table kept staring at me.
The next day, I came home from school and was surprised to find my friend’s mom at our house. It was the first time she and my mom had met. My mom’s face was flushed red.
She turned to me and said, “Mrs. Cooper brought us a Sunday roast because she knew how much you liked it.” I walked into the kitchen and saw our fridge stocked with fresh produce and food. My mom, though shy and clearly a bit embarrassed, couldn’t hide her happiness.
Over time, my mom and Mrs. Cooper became friends. She started visiting us regularly with her family, and what began with a simple meal turned into a beautiful connection that I’ll never forget.
Story 2:
My dad is an oncologist. One day a week, he would go to a rural hospital to help out. His patients would complain of upset stomachs, and he would advise them to take a specific medicine. Several of them told him it wasn’t in their budget.
He knew, from past experience, that they were too proud to accept charity. So he had a nurse stock up on that medicine and started handing it out to his patients, claiming he had received it as “free samples.” © _h***yowlscissors/ Reddit
Story 3:
Story 4:
I had wanted an alto flute for a while, and a regular customer of mine was upgrading his, so I offered to buy his old one from him. He let me take it over the weekend to decide if I really wanted it and how much I would be willing to pay for it.
Long story short, he ended up gifting it to me. Then he passed away unexpectedly three weeks later. RIP, Tom. You were one of the best people I’ve ever known. © Hoodwink_Iris / Reddit
Story 5:
Flying home after Basic Training to spend Christmas with my family, I found out the flight was overbooked and there was only one seat left. The couple in front of me were debating which of them should take it.
The guy said, “You should take it, it’s your family. I’ll catch a later flight.” Then the woman looked back, saw me, and asked where I was headed. I mentioned I was going home to see my pregnant wife and my family. She then told the woman at the counter that I should get the last seat.
It ended up being the last Christmas with my dad, and my whole family wasn’t devastated. © jackfaire / Reddit
Story 6:
Story 7:
I ran out of gas once while driving across the country. Lots of cars just passed me for over four hours. Finally, a guy stopped and checked on me. I told him I had no gas or cash. He just turned around and left.
Ten minutes later, he came back and poured gas into my car. He made sure it started and then left. That guy saved my life because I was having some dark thoughts. © fatninjainvegas / Reddit
Story 8:
When I was homeless, and it was freezing outside, an older lady let me come into her apartment to warm up for a couple of hours. She made me food and hot tea. She was truly a blessing, and I’ll never forget her.
Oh, and I almost forgot—right before I left, she gave me $300 for a hotel room for a few days and some food money. © adrenaline_ju***e3 / Reddit
Story 9:
My card was declined while buying lunch on my break at the grocery store where I was working. The customer behind me handed the cashier $20 and insisted I keep the change (my lunch was around $5).
I was 18, living on my own in a new city after leaving home, and just generally having a hard time. This was 10 years ago, and I still tear up thinking about it. She had no idea how much I needed that random act of kindness that day. © Coffeeandbunnies / Reddit
Story 10:
Story 11:
I was 8 and on the train with my mom, heading to the hospital for eye surgery. I was listening to music on my CD Walkman while talking to my mom about the surgery. I guess the man in front of me noticed how anxious I was because he gave me the Michael Bublé CD album he had bought that morning for his wife as a gift.
I remember our interaction so clearly. It made my day, and I was so happy that I forgot all about my anxiety. I still own that CD. © KieraPS / Reddit
Story 12:
A cashier at my local grocery store paid for my groceries because I didn’t have enough. I felt bad because I should have checked my bank account beforehand to see how much I had. © Safe_Pin237 / Reddit
Story 13:
Story 14:
Riding to work one hot summer day in Prague on a tram with no AC—crowded, hot, and miserable. I was sweating rivers, but couldn’t even reach my handkerchief because the car was so packed.
I was just standing there, feeling miserable, when an older woman smiled at me and handed me a napkin from her purse. I thanked her profusely. © FingerprintFile513 / Reddit
Story 15:
In high school, passing between classes, I was having a really dark, bad day. A girl walking past smiled at me. Every day after that, we’d pass each other and smile, then started saying hi—but that was it. We never had time to really talk.
I saw her at a hockey game once. It was funny, actually talking for a few minutes and then telling my friends she was a friend from school—even though I didn’t know her name.
