21 times strangers were incredibly kind and wholesome, restoring our faith in humanity
After an author narrated a story of her interaction with a random teenager, Twitter users shared their own wholesome stories about strangers.
Editor's note: This article was originally published on March 31, 2022. It has since been updated.
Most of us were taught to be wary of strangers when we were growing up and with good reason. However, there are many instances where strangers have been incredibly kind and supportive. People on Twitter shared their happy interactions with strangers after author Mitali Perkins shared an instance with a random teenager. "I was walking alone yesterday when an unsmiling teen on a bike whizzed by," wrote Perkins. "Our eyes met. He circled back, and I couldn't help bracing myself for our encounter. 'Hey, lady,' he said gruffly. 'Five ducklings. Under the culvert ahead.' Then he did a wheelie and sped off." Perkins wasn't prepared for that but it lifted her spirits. The tweet garnered more than 138,000 likes. Here are some of the replies that will warm your hearts.
1.
Will never forget having a very bad period in a train and an older gent tapped me & said softly, ‘ma’am, you’re bleeding’. It was bad and we had reached our destination. He wrapped his coat around my waist. Escorted me to the loo as I DRIPPED. Waited as I washed which was ages.
— leone ross (@leoneross) May 1, 2021
2.
Was walking home 1am alone when I passed 3 hooded teen boys sharing a joint. I braced myself as they shouted something out. Ignored them, kept walking. They shouted again. "What?" I barked in my toughest voice. "Careful crossing on that corner," one said. "That roads dangerous."
— N J Simmonds 🗡✨ Pre-order CHILDREN OF SHADOWS! (@NJSimmondsbooks) April 30, 2021
3.
Got lost in Dublin w/ my 3 very drunk flatmates, trying to find our hostel - scruffy girl about 10 years old runs up to us, alarmed: “This isn’t a safe neighborhood!” in a thick Irish accent. Asks us where we’re staying, grabs us by the hands, & gets us back to the hostel safely.
— Tracy (@littlecrane) May 1, 2021
4.
Heading up the steps from the subway in Rome, my Mom trips and falls. I’m trying to watch our purses while helping her up. Young guy with huge, spiky Mohawk, leathers, piercings, stops and offers his hand up and to hold back the crowd while Mom gets to her feet. So lovely.
— TheJourneyGenie (@TheJourneyGenie) May 1, 2021
5.
Car broke down on Lake Shore Drive at night. Managed to get it to a parking lot, tow truck couldn’t come for an hour. A guy who’d been playing hockey said “I’m just gonna sit all the way over here in my car til your tow comes to be sure you’re ok” and he did! I’ve never forgotten
— BeReesieKat#Crouton (@bereesiekat) May 1, 2021
6.
Told senior Sikh Lyft driver how happy I was to get 2nd covid shot. He asked how could he get one. pulled up 2the medical ctr & I got him signed up for his 1st dose. When I called to get picked up to go home, he showed up. He had parked & waited 45mins for me. 🚖😷💉💛
— Deirdre L. Hall (@DeirdreLHall) May 1, 2021
7.
Taking my garbage out, dark alley, late at night. Shared the alley w. a dive bar. 3 drunk young men started yelling at me: "Hey! HEY!" I looked up, bracing myself. "There's an owl behind you!!" I looked up just in time to see the owl swoop by silently. A+ interaction.
— Margaret Shawver (@Magreader) April 30, 2021
8.
At a campground, random lady, walking around with a garbage bag...
— uglyduckling movement studio (@angelabarsotti) April 30, 2021
Have you seen? She says
and I'm like (in my head) your trash?
Turns out she was saving these babies from having to cross roads to get to the river... pic.twitter.com/smfnKwt6Ra
9.
Age about 15, walking through Rotherham centre on a dark winter eve - two lads on bikes were harassing me & I didn’t know how to get em to stop- another guy same age told em to piss off and cycled with me to where my dad was waiting so they wouldn’t return, remembered it always
— Bella. (@bellalongdon) May 1, 2021
10.
Then one asks me if I’m American. He translates for the other two as they spend the entire trip asking me about the U.S. Trip ends with all three giving me their addresses so I can send them postcards when I get home (I did).
— Sheila Walsh, who you can bet your ass is vaxxed (@dbq_sheesh) May 1, 2021
11.
She said that would be lovely but she was actually walking around flats trying to find a new home to leave her violent husband. And so that's what we did for the afternoon. Saw her years later happy and healthy and excited to see me and still grateful.
— Jacinta Penn (@WorkBrightNZ) May 1, 2021
12.
At the skatepark with my very early learning kids. Big scary looking skater teens everywhere. My kid falls over. Big scary skater man scoops him up and takes him over to show him how to do it. Learning moment. Never judge on appearance.
— AC (@AcAussie) May 1, 2021
13.
4th grade I got my first period. Started in math class. By science I had bled thru my skirt. Nun teacher said I was too young, can’t go to bathroom. Boy in my class gave me his trench coat & I walked out of school to go home. 1967 I still remember him.
— Sara Byron (@Sarabyronjeffer) May 1, 2021
14.
My 4 year old learning to ride a bicycle got his training wheels stuck in the sand off the pavement. The big silent scary looking teenager screeched to a stop next to him and carefully helped his bike back onto the pavement. I could see the hero worship kindle in my kid's eyes.
— Elisabeth [shop at indie bookstores] Danger (@_Miss_Elisabeth) May 1, 2021
15.
I once took my 4 year old and 8 year old to play laser tag at the outer banks. We just happened to be the only civilians in a group of marines on leave playing laser tag. One half teamed up with my kids and the other half let them destroy them in several rounds of tag.
— Amy 🦖 (@AmyNoMiddleNam3) May 1, 2021
16.
Was walking my dog and a car full of teenage boys slowed as came towards us. I tightened, then one of the boys yelled "hi ma'am!" I awkwardly waived, then another yelled "your dog his beautiful!" Surprised and touched I blurted out THANK YOU.
— FastColorado (@FastColorado) May 1, 2021
17.
I have bright orange hair and one of my friends has a daughter about four. She thinks that I have super powers because I have bright hair and asked her mom if she could dye her hair orange and have super powers like me 🥺
— autumnemh (@autumnemh) May 1, 2021
18.
In Philadelphia for a conference. Went walking & got lost at night. Nervously walked up to a group of teenage boys & said I was lost.
— cmdibley 🐀 (@cmdibley) May 1, 2021
‘Where you from?’
‘Tasmania.’
‘Hell, yeah, you lost.’
They walked me back to my hotel miles away. ❤️
19.
friend to youth hotel. He was an exchange student yrs before in US. 4 days later, waiting @ bus stop near hostile. Sunday. Gravel road. No bus coming. Mercedes flies by. Then backs up. Our friend! "No busses running today girls, get in". He drove us to train station. What a guy!
— undercovernerd (@undercovernerd5) May 1, 2021
20.
A bunch of big unshaven men got out, said they were on their way home from a hunting trip. They went into the ditch and LIFTED MY CAR OUT. They were so kind and I was so grateful. Will never forget it. 2/2
— Kirsten Pavelich (@Kirstenofnorth) May 1, 2021
21.
I need help finding the guy who saved my life in Hyde Park today! I was having an asthma attack and he stopped, asked if I was okay, said "you don't have to talk to me, I'm just going to sit with you for a bit", gave me his jacket. Rang an ambulance when I needed. Saved my life.
— Nóra (@ninjavspirate01) May 3, 2021
These interactions remind us that there's so much good in this world and we needed that, especially after the year it has been because of the Coronavirus pandemic.
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