My Unsung Hero

After becoming a mom, Missy sough inpatient treatment for depression. It was a vulnerable experience, and she found it difficult to engage in group therapy. But when she did start to open up, the most unexpected person reached over to hold her hand as she cried.

Transcribed - Published: 2 June 2026

Mike's wife was dying after years of cancer treatment, and she could no longer recognize the people around her. Then her longtime chemotherapy nurse arrived.

Transcribed - Published: 26 May 2026

Darrell grew up in an Army family. They moved regularly, which meant he was often lonely and a target of bullying. In the sixth grade, at yet another new school, an eighth grader started picking on him. But right before the kid hit him, another classmate stepped in and changed Darrell's life forever.

Transcribed - Published: 19 May 2026

After chemotherapy left Pat without hair, she relied on a wig to feel like herself. The first day she went without it, a stranger in a convenience store gave her a compliment that Pat still carries with her.

Transcribed - Published: 12 May 2026

After having open heart surgery, Barb was terrified of the immense pain she'd likely have to endure during her recovery. Then a nurse stepped in to help, and changed the rest of Barb's life in the process.

Transcribed - Published: 5 May 2026

This week, a favorite episode from the archives: Bethany was feeling overwhelmed as a single mom with three small children. But one small act of kindness by a neighbor let her know she'd be okay.

Transcribed - Published: 28 April 2026

More than forty years ago, at a stoplight in a new city, Rebecca sat crying. She felt trapped in a relationship she didn’t know how to leave. Then, a stranger in a neighboring car offered a gesture of kindness she'll always remember.

Transcribed - Published: 21 April 2026

At 15, Everett was about to steal a shirt at the mall when a girl saw him and whispered, “It’s not worth it.” He stopped, and decades later, he still thinks about that moment.

Transcribed - Published: 14 April 2026

After making a series of unfortunate choices, Jay found himself sitting in a jail cell, alone and hopeless. But a fellow inmate's words brought him comfort, and changed the course of his life.

Transcribed - Published: 7 April 2026

A few years ago, John’s daughter developed a sudden illness, later discovered to be a condition known as PANDAS, and for months she could barely leave the house. On the first warm day of the year, he brought her outside. A man drove by, rolled down his window, and said something John will never forget.

Transcribed - Published: 31 March 2026

After a few weeks of studying abroad in France, Holly felt overwhelmed and homesick. But an encounter with a stranger at the post office changed everything, and led to a decades-long friendship.

Published: 24 March 2026

Dan was born with a cataract that left him mostly blind in one eye. As a kid, he was painfully self-conscious about it. At baseball practice one day, his coach noticed he was losing sight of the ball and helped him adjust. Fifty years later, it’s still a small act of kindness Dan has never forgotten.

Transcribed - Published: 17 March 2026

In the 1990s, Ana Maria's father drove a taxi in Miami. One repeat passenger had a ritual: at the end of every ride, he’d give her father $20 for Ana Maria to “buy something nice.” One day, the man pulled out a $50 bill — the exact amount she needed to apply to her dream school.

Transcribed - Published: 10 March 2026

After waiting in the ER for what felt like hours, Julie wondered if she was ever going to get the help she needed. Then, just as her pain became unbearable, a stranger stepped up to help — saving Julie's life in the process.

Transcribed - Published: 3 March 2026

After Jean was badly injured in a mountaineering accident, she had to hike through treacherous conditions to get to the trailhead. By the time she arrived, her condition was deteriorating quickly. But a stranger stepped in and went above and beyond to ensure she survived.

Transcribed - Published: 24 February 2026

When Olivia was in sixth grade, her teacher planned a Father’s Day softball game for students and their dads. But Olivia's father had recently been moved into a hospital with a rare case of both Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, and couldn't be there. A young man named Bob showed up in his place.

Transcribed - Published: 17 February 2026

Two months before their daughter started college, Barbara's husband unexpectedly died. On the day Barbara moved her daughter into her dorm, she was hit hard by the realization that she was a single parent. But an unsung hero stepped in and made sure the move-in was seamless.

Transcribed - Published: 10 February 2026

On the day her divorce was finalized, Kristi set out alone on a mountain hike. When she broke down on the trail, a stranger asked if she needed a hug — and helped her find the strength to keep going.

Transcribed - Published: 3 February 2026

After a car clipped her bike in San Francisco, Joann suddenly found herself laid out on the asphalt. But a kind and whimsical hero stopped to help her get back on her feet.

Transcribed - Published: 27 January 2026

In 2007, Larry helped his brother Marty move to Utah. Marty had terminal cancer, and he and his wife wanted to be near family in the final days of his life. When they arrived, neighbors and church members — strangers — had transformed Marty’s new house into a warm home.

Transcribed - Published: 20 January 2026

Today, we bring you a bonus episode from the team at StoryCorps, whose mission is record, preserve, and share the stories of Americans from all backgrounds and beliefs. We'll hear from people who refused to give up on someone — even when the odds were long, or when it seemed like the person might be lost forever.

Transcribed - Published: 16 January 2026

After her husband died, Connie received unexpected advice from an insurance agent: when people offer help, "let them."

Transcribed - Published: 13 January 2026

At age 6, Tom wandered away from his family’s campsite and spent a cold night alone on the Lake Superior shoreline. A stranger walked through the dark to find him and carried him back to safety — a moment Tom believes may have saved his life.

Transcribed - Published: 6 January 2026

A favorite from 2023: John remembers the quick thinking of his hospital roommate, who called for help when John’s speech began to slur, and may have saved his life.

Transcribed - Published: 30 December 2025

At a neighborhood park, a young boy noticed Natalie's young foster daughter using a walker. His reaction left her with an unexpected feeling of hope for the future.

Transcribed - Published: 23 December 2025

A Christmas Eve drive in a new town left Mary lost and alone — until a couple pulled over to help. What they did next turned her loneliest holiday into a poignant memory.

Transcribed - Published: 16 December 2025

When Stephanie got overwhelmed on the first day of her very first job, a customer shared some kind words.

Transcribed - Published: 9 December 2025

Shortly after being diagnosed with breast cancer, Gillian realized she had a day left to choose a health plan that could make or break her treatment. She reached out to her employer's HR representative, who not only helped with choosing a plan, but set a lifelong example of what kindness looks like.

Transcribed - Published: 2 December 2025

On the first day of her new job, Emily fainted. Then a customer came to her aid.

Transcribed - Published: 25 November 2025

Jolena was going through a difficult divorce and facing financial hardship. One day, a co-worker surprised her with a gift that she's never forgotten.

Transcribed - Published: 18 November 2025

When her purse went missing on a trip to Chicago, Lavonne panicked. What she didn’t know: two strangers had already stepped in to help.

Transcribed - Published: 11 November 2025

Almost 50 years ago, a stranger’s simple question gave her safety — and an example she’s tried to follow ever since.

Transcribed - Published: 4 November 2025

In 2008, Kate was living in California when that state's voters passed Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage. It made her feel unwelcome, as if her love for her partner was being demonized. One morning on her way to work, she saw an older man standing alone on the train platform, holding a sign against Prop 8. His small act of solidarity offered her comfort when she felt most vulnerable.

Transcribed - Published: 28 October 2025

When he was 15, Eric lost his mother to suicide. When he returned to school, most adults avoided the subject — until his chorus director got up from the piano and gave him a wordless hug.

Transcribed - Published: 21 October 2025

In high school, Elizabeth’s choir solo ended in embarrassment after her high note came booming through the mic. But an older student’s kind words restored her confidence just when she needed it.

Transcribed - Published: 14 October 2025

Midway through her first semester of college, Silvana realized she didn't have enough money to finish out the school year. A professor stepped in to help in a surprising way.

Transcribed - Published: 7 October 2025

A favorite from the archives: Minutes before an important job interview in a town hours from home, Oliver realized he’d forgotten his dress shirt. A stranger offered a kind and unexpected solution.

Transcribed - Published: 30 September 2025

When she was in the sixth grade, Tanya's world was unraveling. One day, overcome with grief, she cried in class — and her teacher, Mrs. Welch, wrapped Tanya in a hug.

Transcribed - Published: 23 September 2025

Earlier this year, Lara was walking her large Rottweiler, The Dude, when fireworks went off nearby. The Dude panicked, and Lara began to worry she wouldn't be able to manage the situation on her own. Then a stranger offered to help, ensuring both Lara and The Dude got home safely.

Transcribed - Published: 16 September 2025

When Juli's car ran out of gas in the middle of the road, three men from a nearby homeless encampment rushed over to push her car to safety.

Transcribed - Published: 9 September 2025

In 1980, backpacking alone to Greece, Elaine was attacked on a train. Two strangers stepped in, and stayed by her side for nearly the entire 12-hour ride.

Transcribed - Published: 2 September 2025

After his dad left, Patrick’s guidance counselor taught him to tie a tie — and showed him he wasn’t alone. Years later, he passed that lesson on to his own son.

Transcribed - Published: 26 August 2025

In 2005, Ashley's mother attempted suicide. She was hospitalized, and eventually passed away. In the days after her mother's death, Ashley struggled with guilt. She had been the one to request a "Do Not Resuscitate" order. Even though her mother had requested a DNR in the past, Ashley wondered if she'd made the right choice. Then a nurse made a phone call that changed Ashley's life.

Transcribed - Published: 19 August 2025

In 1974, Surinder and his family came out of a pharmacy to discover their car was gone. Not knowing anyone else in town, he opened the phone book, and dialed a stranger with a familiar Indian last name. The man who answered not only helped them, but went on to play a surprising role in their lives.

Transcribed - Published: 12 August 2025

While on vacation in Mexico, Julie had an accident on a waterslide and was on the brink of drowning. Then some strangers stepped in.

Transcribed - Published: 5 August 2025

When Eileen’s husband came home from the hospital after a traumatic brain injury, he wasn’t the same. He couldn't do many of the household chores he used to take care of, like raking up the leaves in their yard. So one day, Eileen decided to try to get the chore done. As she picked up the leaves in her yard, crying, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

Transcribed - Published: 29 July 2025

After spilling her lunch on the way to work, Kim received an unexpected gift from a stranger. The experience not only helped her through that day, but gave her a sense of belonging and community.

Transcribed - Published: 22 July 2025

After Alek's father died in the hospital, a nurse shared his grief.

Transcribed - Published: 15 July 2025

A favorite from 2022: After a mortifying fall in physics class, Julie remembers the unexpected gift she received from a fellow student.

Transcribed - Published: 8 July 2025

Maureen was on the subway, and feeling down. Her sister had recently passed away, and the shock of the death made it difficult to be in public. But when a stranger sat down next to her and asked how she was doing, Maureen felt she could be honest. The conversation that followed is one that she will forever cherish.

Transcribed - Published: 1 July 2025