10 People Who.

At 18, I had just moved from a quiet Southern town to the hustle of New York City and was navigating the subway system for the first time. I stood helplessly at a MetroCard machine, unsure of what to do as a crowd formed behind me. Frustrated voices shouted at me to hurry, and the pressure brought me to the brink of tears.

Suddenly, a man stepped forward, silenced the crowd, and calmly helped me purchase a MetroCard. He even bought me a 12-ride pass and offered comforting advice: “Next time someone yells at you, just yell back.” His kindness gave me the strength to stay and thrive in the city.

When I was around 12, my cousins and I went to a bookstore. After buying some books, we sat outside to read. An elderly man sitting nearby kept watching us. After a while, he went back into the store and returned with three \$20 gift cards. Smiling, he told us, “I love seeing kids read,” and gifted us each one.

Years later, I ran out of gas on my way home from work and had no one to call or money to buy fuel. A man stopped to ask if I was okay, then left. A second person offered conversation but no help.

Then, an undercover cop arrived and assisted me in moving my car. While we were discussing what to do next, the first man returned—with a full gas can. I offered to repay him, but he simply smiled and said it was no trouble.