At 18, I had just relocated to NYC on my own, trying to adapt to the fast-paced lifestyle after moving from a small Southern town. It was my first experience using the subway, and I was completely clueless about how to purchase a MetroCard.

As I stood at the only functioning machine, a line of impatient people formed behind me while I struggled to figure it out. The frustration in the air was palpable, with people shouting at me to “Hurry up!” and “What’s wrong with you?” My anxiety grew, and I felt tears welling up, which only made me more flustered.

Then, a man stepped out of the line and told everyone to calm down. He approached me, patiently walked me through the process, and even bought me a 12-ride card. He gave me a reassuring pat on the back and said, “Next time someone yells at you, just yell back, and they’ll leave you alone.” In that moment, I felt a sense of connection and support.

Thanks to his kindness and assistance, I was encouraged to stay in the city and enjoy all the wonderful experiences that followed. © Wiffle_Snuff / Reddit

Story 2:

Image for illustrative purposes only.When I was around 12 years old, I visited a bookstore with my cousins. After purchasing a few books, we stepped outside to start reading. We noticed an elderly man giving us a long, intense stare from a nearby bench. After about ten minutes of watching us, he finally stood up and went back into the bookstore.About five minutes later, he returned with three gift cards in hand. Approaching us with a warm smile, he said, “I love seeing kids read,” and handed each of us a $20 gift card. I was completely taken aback and deeply moved by his generosity.

Story 3:

A few years ago, I found myself out of gas while driving home from work. I managed to pull my car to the median, so I wasn’t completely obstructing traffic. At that point, I was stuck—no one to call and no money to get gas. Fortunately, three people stopped to help me.

The first man approached to ask what was wrong, if I was okay, and whether I had any money for gas. I explained that my car had run out of fuel, I had no way to reach a gas station, and I showed him my uncashed check, indicating I had no cash. After that, he left, and soon after, a second car arrived.

The second person was a woman who chatted with me for a bit but ultimately said she couldn’t assist, which was perfectly fine.

Then, the third person to stop was an undercover officer. He was really kind and helped me push my car onto the grass while we brainstormed solutions, as he didn’t want to leave me stranded.

While the officer and I were talking, the first man returned, got out of his car, and handed me a full 10-gallon gas can. I was incredibly grateful and even offered to take his number so I could repay him, but he declined, saying it was no trouble at all. I never asked him to spend his money on gas for me, but I’m so thankful he did. It’s unfortunate that I’ll never have the chance to repay his kindness.