I think the best example I can remember of a stranger helping out another person was in an auto shop about ten years ago.

A mechanic came out of the shop into the waiting room where I was sitting and told an older woman that the repairs on her car were going to cost a whopping $1,200. She was visibly upset and told the mechanic that she couldn’t afford that and she’d just have to take the car and leave.

An older gentleman who was also in the waiting room overheard the conversation and interrupted: he said to put the woman’s repairs on his bill. The woman was shocked and refused the man’s generosity, but he insisted and told her that she should help someone out in the future when she could.

What a great guy!

And with that, we hope you enjoy these stories people shared on AskReddit about total strangers who helped them out.

1. That was nice.

“This guy was following me in the mall and a stranger pretended he knew me to get the person that was following me away.”

2. Good thing they were there.

“Was on the road and my dad passed out and he landed on the side of the steering wheel and we swerved off the road.

There were rocks in front of us so we ended up flipping and landed upside down.

But luckily there were people that stopped and helped us. Btw my dad is doing fine now.”

3. Middle of nowhere.

“This one time me, my four siblings and my mom were on a cross country road trip, and our car broke down in the middle of nowhere, and it was in the middle of the winter.We were stuck on the side of the road with no cell service and no other way to contact anyone.

After about half an hour a sweet elderly couple stopped and used their phone to call a tow truck, and then they drove me ad my siblings (the tow-truck only had space for one other-person), to the auto-shop where our car could be fixed.”

4. Extra masks!

“Me and my friend went to UDF and forgot masks…however there was a doctor there and she said: “Are you ladies out of masks? I have some! Im a doctor!”

And we thanked her like 3 times! Then after that we forgot to count our money. And so then this lady paid the tax!”

5. A nice lady.

“One time when I was about 8, I was at my neighbor’s garage sale, with some of my friends. And they had these super cute matching tea-cups.

Each in a different color. And this nice lady bought one for me and each of my friends.”

6. Ain’t worth it.

“I was in the bathroom at Cici’s Pizza and assumed I was alone. I looked at myself in the mirror and said “I’m a depressed mess.”

An employee stepped out of the stall and she said “No you’re not. Were you crying?”

Me: “Yes.”

Employee: “If it’s because of a boy, he ain’t worth it.””

7. A ride home.

“Once a couple years ago I was at our local nature trail with my family and it suddenly started raining really hard, like pouring.

We started running home, me and my siblings were pretty little.

About halfway down our street a man came out and offered us a ride home.”

8. A stranger abroad.

“Did an internship in Ukraine, Kyiv, didn’t speak any Russian or Ukrainian. On the bus were two boys who’d make fun of us (a group of four, all in their twenties) by talking English in a very silly way.

A man, probably aged between 40 and 50, would tell the boys in English (for us to understand) that what they were doing was completely disrespectful and that they should stop treating guests like that.

The boys stopped immediately, even after the man had gone off the bus.”

9. Stuck with you.

“I was like 5, and was trying to pour myself some soda.

I wasn’t able to lift it, and was about to cry because I was a very emotional child, and this teenager dude, with a mohawk and leather jacket, comes up to me and poured me some.

IDK why this has stuck with me, but it has.”

10. Flat tire.

“I was riding my bike on a 30 km ride, when halfway through my tire went flat. It was in the middle of nowhere, starting to rain.

I couldn’t call my mom because my bike wouldn’t fit in the car and I was getting a bit scared. As i was standing there by myself, a van stopped and this elderly couple got out to ask me why I was standing there on my own. I explained what happened and they loaded my bike into the van and drove me home.

They were the nicest people ever, didn’t accept money and just wanted me to pay it forward. Will never forget it!”

11. Put it on my tab.

“When I was younger, my mom brought me to a bookstore to get a book. I saw a Pinkilishous (or however you spell it) book. We brought it to the cashier, but my mom had forgot her wallet.

An amazing woman behind us paid for it. Maybe because she was just being nice, but also because I was screaming my head off. Idk either way they are an amazing person.”

12. A small gesture.

“I was at my dad’s one weekend and i got in another fight with my older brother. I decided to go for a walk to blow off some steam.

As I was walking a boy that looked to be about a year or two younger than me and he must’ve seen I was in a pretty mood so he complimented my hair.

It may seem like a small gesture of kindness but that really turned my day around.”

13. A new school.

“I was in 1st grade at a new school with no friends. I told the teacher that I had to go to the bathroom and she said they would wait. Well, I went and came out and they were gone.

There I was, a 6 year old in a new school with no friends and no idea how to get around. THANK GOD the librarian found me wandering around, and she walked with me to find my class.

Apparently they were eating popsicles in the courtyard, and there was only pineapple left for me (I hate pineapple popsicles). I’m still thankful that the librarian saved me from a potential meltdown and a lot of embarrassment.”

Has a stranger ever helped you out in a major way?

If so, please tell us your stories in the comments.

We’d love to hear from you!