Student floored by professor's email 2 years after his kindness 'saved' her life: 'Angels walk among us'

In a Reddit post shared by u/Think-Library9577, a former student described how a college professor once gave her an 'A' grade during the darkest period of her life. Over two years later, she reached out to thank him and was stunned to receive a long, deeply personal reply. She explained that she had taken his class during a semester when she was in an abusive relationship. As things escalated, she became too scared to leave her dorm. "I felt like my life was over, and I did nothing every day but hide in the solitude of my room," she wrote.

It had been her favorite class, so she tried to return despite everything. When she went to apologize for missing two weeks, her professor stopped her at the door. He told her it was okay if she needed time. Then he hugged her. "That was the first hug I’d had in weeks. In that moment, I felt understood, I felt seen, and I no longer felt so alone," she wrote. She emailed him later, hoping to explain her absence and ask if there was any way to make up her grade. She later dropped out of college, feeling like a failure. But when she opened her final report card, she found that he had given her an 'A'. "This professor, whom I barely knew, was my lifeline that year. I think angels do walk among us," she wrote. Recognizing that kind of silent distress isn't always straightforward. As per a survey, only 51% of college faculty report feeling confident in their ability to tell when a student is struggling emotionally.

A few months earlier, she sent him an email, updating him about her life and expressing gratitude for "saving my life." She shared that she became a licensed commercial broker and now runs her own office, adopted a new dog, and is in a healthy relationship with someone she’s known since childhood. He hadn’t responded then, but when he did, his email was over 1,000 words long. He began by apologizing for the delay and said, "This past spring was particularly difficult for me, for many reasons." "I must also confess: when I read your last email, I felt overwhelmed, just as I did more than two years ago when you first told me what you were going through. You were right: I was seeing you," he wrote.

He explained how her story reminded him of his own experience in an abusive relationship, which helped him understand her pain and reassured her that the 'A' was earned. "I remember the moment I submitted final grades — I told myself, what kind of miserable, short-sighted, hypocritical idiot would I be if I claim to support women, but then penalize this student without any regard for the hell she is living?" he wrote. Toward the end of the letter, he told her, "Your worth as a person depends solely on you."

He concluded, saying, "You are a warrior. You are brave. You are extraordinary. And you should feel proud — very, very proud of everything you've accomplished. I certainly am." Many people who read the exchange were moved by the care behind the professor’s words. u/McNednarb wrote, "Make your brother's sorrow your own." Kudos, professor. Keep being a positive example for the rest of us. u/sunnyandfree said, This is so beautiful. You are so beautiful. Thank you for sharing. I am so proud of you and am so happy to know you’re enjoying life!!! u/twigge30 added, That professor is awesome. Sounds like you are, too. Real recognize real."