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 was my...

Max saw me came over and asked how I was doing and if I needed help.

So whoever you are, thank you so much.

Today's story comes from Todd Kachton. When Todd was 13, his mother died of breast

cancer. He and his twin brother stayed home for about a week before heading

back to school.

I was surprised to find that when I walked through the hallway,

none of my friends would make eye contact with me.

Nobody wanted to make eye contact with me.

Not teachers, not friends, not teammates.

Every once in a while, as I was walking to my first class,

somebody would have this half wave where it barely even cross their chest.

If I was lonely walking into that school now my sadness and despondency only amplified.

And in that hallway, the most unlikely of supports walked over to me,

Jeff Padgett, a football player on the team with me, a guy that was definitely

not in my social group. He was popular, he hung out with girls, girls didn't even talk to me

yet.

We weren't friends, and he put his arm around me,

and I'll never forget what he said.

He said, hey, I heard about your mom.

...