Woman having a panic attack is saved by cleaning lady’s hug. Her heartfelt ‘thank you’ note is going viral now
'It restored my faith in the good in people and grounded me while I was struggling to breathe,' she said.
Trigger Warning: This article contains information about suicide that some readers may find distressing.
Tan Smith (@supertanskiii) was on her way back home when a phone call shook her to the core. She had lost a dear friend to suicide, and in that moment, she just couldn't function. Unable to control her thoughts, Smith suffered a horrifying panic attack, but then came a stranger who held her hand and refused to leave her side until she felt better. Smith shared her story on Threads on October 5, 2025.
Shocked by the devastating news, Smith rushed into the nearest loo, but little did she know that someone else had noticed her silent tears. "A cleaner in the loo I was hiding in saw me in floods of tears and made me sit, holding my hand as I was shaking from shock," she recalled. Rabea, the kind stranger, pulled Smith into a heartfelt hug and walked her out so she could help her find a taxi. "Thank god for her," I say. I'll never forget her," she wrote in a now-deleted post. Smith, a photographer, was so overwhelmed by Rabea's gesture that she posted a picture she had taken of her holding her hand and shared it online.
"I have always taken photos of important moments — the good, the bad, and the ugly. This was a moment I didn’t want to forget because it restored my faith in the good in people and grounded me while I was struggling to breathe," she shared. Surprisingly, Smith's post reached Oliver (@oliver_raptor), a colleague of Rabea, and he promised to do something to honor her selfless gesture. He wrote, "She has obviously made a great impact on you, and made me proud that she also works with us." Moreover, Oliver managed to inform the management about Rabea, who decided to award her for the heartwarming gesture.
View on Threads
Panic attacks aren't fatal, but they're scary, especially when you're alone. During an intense breakdown, a person may feel nausea, chest pain, shortness of breath, etc. — symptoms very similar to a heart attack. Though such emotional meltdowns stem from fear or anxiety, the way the body reacts during a panic attack is very evident. In fact, the adrenaline levels in the body can spike by two and a half times or more during a breakdown, according to WebMD. While a panic attack is often expected to pass after only a few minutes, it can sometimes linger for hours. When Smith suffered an anxiety attack, she must have felt all these symptoms or more. And if not for Rabea, then she would have had to suffer longer alone.
Reacting to Smith's story, @paulmoore1973 commented, "So touching. We can't underestimate the impact positive people can have on this world with the simplest of gestures and with kindness. I've been unable to leave my home for a couple of years now, but hearing this adds to the hope that if I did, people would be kind enough to hold out a hand when they see someone who's vulnerable."
@warddaviesadrienne said, "I'm so pleased you've found Rabea and that she's being officially recognized for her kindness and compassion." @teresabenison wrote, "Oh, I had to go back to see what had happened. So sorry you had to go through that, but my goodness, how lovely that she was there for you."
You can follow Tan Smith (@supertanskiii) on Threads for lifestyle content.
If you are having thoughts about taking your own life, or know of anyone who is, please contact The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)
More on Scoop Upworthy
Boss' thoughtful note to bartender who experienced a panic attack at work is a lesson in empathy
Waiter couldn't believe customer's $500 tip on a 65-cent bill — until he read her heartbreaking note
Share on Facebook
