From Hidden Brain Media, I'm Shankar Vedantham. 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's a son's a 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 Lea Ruth Jemilla.

One Friday afternoon in January 2021,

Lia Ruth was on her way to a weekend getaway with friends.

It was supposed to be a much needed

break from her emotionally exhausting job, but the week had been so hard she

couldn't muster any excitement. I was crying while I was driving which note is not a good idea but I was

doing it as safely as possible and along the way I came upon the Illinois Skyway toll booth.

And as I approached the toll booth,

wearing my sunglasses, I noticed the tow booth worker

because she had these really beautiful, very bright purple, long

braids in her hair and was wearing these incredible, really long purple feather earrings.

And it's just something that you take note of.

And like many interactions that you have throughout the day,

you often say, hi, how are you?

And the person responds, I'm good, how are you?

And that's typically it, right?

Well, not for me on this particular day the toll booth worker said hi how are you and I

...