Man gave crying co-passenger a pink candy. Years later, she sent him a poem that left him speechless

When Michael Brown (@yourbestiemisha on Instagram) offered a single pink Starburst to a stranger on a flight years ago, he never imagined it might save her life. But eight years later, a message and a poem sent by the same stranger revealed just how much that moment meant for her. Brown shared the story in a recent video, explaining that he was seated next to the young woman on a United flight who was "totally beside herself," quietly crying as she looked out the window. "It did not seem like this woman was in a place where she was able to receive me," he recalled, and decided to give her space.

When the flight attendant came by with snacks, she declined. Brown noticed her tray table was down, so he took a pink Starburst from a small bag he'd bought in the terminal and placed it in front of her. "The pink ones are my favorite," he told her. She looked at him through tears and said, "Thank you." That was it — she spent the rest of the flight staring out the window, still crying. Brown thought that was their first and last meeting until recently, when she recognized Brown in People magazine and reached out. In her message, she explained that the day they met, she had been planning to end her life, and his small gesture had made her reconsider.

She had written a poem about it: "I sat in silence. Storm in my chest. A window seat, no will to rest. Tears fell quiet. No one knew. Until you smiled and offered to. No questions asked, no need to speak. Just pink wrapped hope when I felt weak. You said, "These are my favorite kind," And left a little piece behind. It wasn't candy, not that day. It tasted more like, 'Please just stay.' So thank you, stranger, all in all, for catching me mid-freefall."

Psychologists say moments like this can leave a far deeper mark than the person showing kindness might ever realize. A 2022 study by Amit Kumar (University of Texas at Austin) and Nicholas Epley (University of Chicago) discovered that people who perform random acts of kindness consistently underestimate how positive recipients feel. In field experiments — like offering hot chocolate or cupcakes to strangers — givers expected a modest boost in mood (around 2.7 on a –5 to +5 scale), while recipients rated their uplift much higher (about 3.5).

The story resonated deeply with viewers, many of whom were moved to tears. @millys.on.missions.with.ramsay wrote, "You always show us how to bring our best selves into the lives that we walk each and every day, Misha. It doesn't always have to be an effusive discussion or big hugs. Sometimes it's just a pink Starburst and giving that person permission to cry, but yet know that they matter. You show us how to hold space for others in kindness." @amandatanigawa commented, "I was already getting emotional with the story, then the poem came out, and well, here we are." @allen.alycial praised the woman, saying, "Oh, that wonderful woman! That poem is perfect. And your gesture was so specific and kind. A beautiful story, full circle."

You can follow Michael Brown (@yourbestiemisha) on Instagram for more stories like this.