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.

Hi, Shankar. My unsung hero is a Frenchman.

She had given me exactly what I needed in that time.

I was fortunate enough to survive with the help of this man, this doctor,

who went out of his way to help save my life.

Today's story comes from Stephanie Garber.

In the late 1980s, Stephanie was driving through downtown Silver Spring, Maryland,

when she was hit by a large pickup truck. She wasn't injured, but the other driver was furious,

claiming the accident was her fault. Her car was completely wrecked. As she stood on the sidewalk

waiting for help to arrive, watching her car block traffic in the middle of rush hour,

Stephanie began to cry.

And I was standing there and I was anxious and I was nervous

and I felt guilty about keeping the traffic stopped

but my car wouldn't run.

So I really was not myself, and I must have been quite a sight.

All of a sudden, a lady that was very professionally dressed and obviously going into her workday

came over to me with a full cup of hot tea,

which she had clearly purchased at the coffee shop, which was right next door to the payphone, where I was.

And she handed it to me, and she said, maybe this will help.

And when I looked at her, I just felt such kindness coming my way at a time when I needed it.

My anxiety lowered simply out of the fact

...