From Hidden Brain Media, I'm Shankar Vedantam.

This is My Unsung Hero, stories where one person reached out to help another in a time of need.

My Unsung Hero story is from a doctor I heard over 30 years ago.

He said that's a young hero because he rarely got any recognition for his huge heart

and his unselfish actions.

You mean the world to me and I can't thank you enough.

Today's story comes from Alexis Agnew.

In 2018, when Alexis was 24 years old, she went to her doctor's office for a routine health screening.

One of her tests revealed an irregularity.

The doctor recommended she schedule a follow-up biopsy.

Alexis was terrified that she might have cancer.

And because I expected nothing special, I did not bring anybody to my appointment.

So I was alone.

And as I was passing the front desk out of the building, I was oscillating between bawling

and being numb and zombified and bawling and numb and zombified and as i passed the front

desk the attendant there she was an older lady of probably 60 she was eating her lunch but when she saw

me she stopped me and asked what's the matter baby are you Well, I guess just being acknowledged was enough for me.

So I started crying because I was explaining to her that I was indeed not okay. And she listened the whole time.

And after I had finished talking, she asked me if I wanted a hug. And I lost it. I just started crying.

So she pulled me close and she held me. And she held me as I cried

and I cried and I cried. And to be honest, I don't know if that was 30 seconds or three minutes.

All I know is I sat there in the middle of that busy hospital just bawling in the stranger's arms. And after i had calmed down a bit she turned to me

...