People Share The Random Acts Of Kindness That Restored Their Faith In Humanity

September 23, 2019 | Phillip Hamilton

People Share The Random Acts Of Kindness That Restored Their Faith In Humanity


The world can seem like a cruel and uncaring place, but it’s not all bad. It only takes one simple act of kindness to prove that. Maybe the person in front of you in line pays for your coffee. Maybe it’s something even simpler, like a shared umbrella in a rainstorm. Kind acts spread, and one of the best ways to make the world a better place is by simply being kind to one another and passing that kindness along. If anyone understands this philosophy, it’s the people of Reddit who chose to share the greatest random acts of kindness they’ve ever performed and received. Here are 42 random acts of kindness performed by strangers.


1. Fans Help Fans

I’m a Seahawks fan living in Arizona. In 2011, a regular at the Starbucks I worked at gave me four tickets to the Seahawks and Cardinals game. It was the last game of the year, so he also gave us the money that was left on his stadium food card. He said it was, “use it or lose it,” and that it had about $200 left on it. The seats were club level and my three friends and I ate like kings. As a thank you, we pooled in and got him a $100 Starbucks gift card.

Acts of Kindness FactsFlickr, Matt McGee

2. Touchdown!

I found a wallet in a taxi on the way home for a night out. Went out of my way to get in contact with the guy and get his wallet back to him the next day. Turned out he was a big football star and gave me the money that was in the wallet as a thank you!

Acts of Kindness FactsFlickr, Marco Verch

3. A Cinderella Story

Spring 2018. I accidentally stumbled upon a wedding dress I loved for $60 with only three weeks left until my wedding. I called around everywhere but no one could help me out and do the alterations. I was so upset. I was discussing this with a coworker on our hospital lunch break in a quiet area and a nurse from the cancer center pops around the corner and says, “I do alterations! I’d love to look at it!” Taken aback, I ask her what she usually charges for her work. She says, “Eh, $50.” (This is extremely cheap for wedding dress alterations.) I accept her offer, get her number, and we arrange for me to bring it in on our lunch break the next day.

She had me do several fittings, just to make sure it’s perfect. She even purchased additional material for part of it. During those times, we spoke about our lives and she told me that her mother passed this winter. They used to sew together, and working on projects like this makes her feel close to her mom again. On the day I pick it up she hands me the dress with a huge smile. I try to give her the money and she won’t take it. She says it’s on her, in honor of her mother. I broke down and we both cried together. I promised to pass on her good deed one day.

Acts of Kindness FactsMax Pixel

4. Like a Speeding Bullet

When I was nine or ten, I missed the school bus. This big guy picked me up and ran towards the bus screaming to try and make the bus stop. It eventually did and he put me inside of it and then dipped, I couldn't even say thanks. And I was a chubby one no less.

Acts of Kindness FactsPexels

5. Angel in a Truck

My wife and I saved up to buy a nice (for us) grill years ago, but we never thought of how to get it home. We were trying to get it in the trunk of our little car, and were just about to resort to opening the box it came in to put it in piecemeal when a guy who'd been sitting in his truck eating dinner in the parking lot came up and asked if he could help us transport it to our place.

We lived 20 miles away, and he was still more than happy to drive it to our house and drop it off and refused any kind of payment for helping.

Acts of Kindness FactsShutterstock

6. Jesus Take the Claw

One of my most vivid childhood memories is of me at the local bar and grill with my parents, and I was like six and looking at a very specific doll in a claw machine. It was Tweety Bird in a spacesuit. I was so zoned out, I didn't even know someone walked up until the claw came down, picked it up, and dropped it in the chute in one fell swoop.

I turned around and couldn't believe my eyes. It was a man who looked homeless/transient taking the Tweety Bird out of the chute and immediately bending down and handing it to me. Neither of us said anything, just smiled at each other, and then he turned and walked out of the restaurant.

Acts of Kindness FactsWikipedia

7. Kids, Kids, Everywhere

I was at Target to do some shopping when my baby had a blown-out diaper. I also had my two-year-old with me. There was no family restroom, so I had to use the changing station in the ladies’ room. My toddler was out of control and was just itching to do gross stuff like lick the floors or play in toilet water or something that would horrify literally anyone on the planet except a mischievous two-year-old.

A woman, probably in her 40s, saw my predicament (baby on changing table and me unable to physically intervene with the two-year-old) and interacted with my toddler so I could deal with the poop-splosion my tiny infant son produced. They counted sinks, jumped from tile to tile, made silly faces to one another. It probably only lasted two to three minutes, but it was the most helpful thing someone could have done for me in that overwhelming moment.

Acts of Kindness FactsShutterstock

8. Just a Real Good Guy, No Strings

When I was 18, my cousin and I went to a nightclub way out in the 'burbs. We had a huge bust-up, and she left me stranded with no money and a flat mobile. A guy I had seen around for a while found me crying at the curb, and he offered his couch to stay on, and money for the bus in the morning.

So, we cabbed it back to his house, and his mum was lovely. In the morning, once he sobered up, he decided to drive me home to my place rather than leave me at the bus stop. A fifty-minute drive. He didn't once try to hit on me, he was just there like a good guy would be. No, I didn't get his number. I should have, though. Silly me.

Acts of Kindness FactsShutterstock

9. The Magnificent Cat Saver

Found a cat with a roll of thick duct tape around her neck and mouth, she couldn't eat and was barely breathing. Took 20 minutes to unroll it because she wouldn't stop scratching my hands.

Acts of Kindness FactsPxHere

10. How to Have a Blessed Day

I was walking around in a supermarket when I saw a small old lady struggling to put a pack of water bottles into her cart. I walked over to her and asked if she needed help (I was going to help her either way) and I put three 24 packs of water bottles into her cart. She gave me a hug and told me to have a blessed day. It felt amazing.

Acts of Kindness FactsShutterstock

11. Lonely No-More

Little girl was sitting next to me on an eight-hour plane ride. She was about five or six. I gave her some of the food I was eating and my neck pillow to sleep on. It melted my heart and made me really happy.

Acts of Kindness FactsShutterstock

12. Always Pay it Forward

When my daughter was in the hospital with a brain tumor last year, many people sent money (total of $800ish) to help with our costs. We initially didn’t think we were going to need any money, but over the three weeks we were at the hospital, the money was a godsend for meals, buying clothes rather than leaving to do laundry, etc.

When we were a few days from leaving the hospital, I spoke with another family that was really struggling because they had to drive two hours each way every day to come visit their grandchild (who was going to die as a result of parental abuse). We had a couple hundred dollars left of our gifts, so we stuck it in an envelope and asked the nurse to give it to them later.

The nurse wasn’t supposed to tell them where the money was coming from, but they did, and the grandparents tracked us down and tried to give the money back. We of course refused and the family gave us a nice thank you note.

I didn’t want them to know where the money came from, and I didn’t want any thanks, but in a way I am glad it played out the way it did. Seeing the impact the money had (and let’s face it, $200 isn’t a huge amount) really resonated with me, and has encouraged me to be generous any time I can, even with small gifts. It changed my life, and I know without any doubt that the $200 stuffed in an envelope changed their lives and was one of the only bright spots in their time at the hospital. It wasn’t about the money. It was about having a stranger care about them in their time of need.

I don’t want it to sound like I’m patting myself on the back. I simply passed some gifts on to a person who needed them more. I only like to tell this story because I want others to know how easy it can be to have a positive impact in the life of others.

Acts of Kindness FactsFlickr, Marco Verch

13. Puppies Make Everything Better

We recently got a puppy, I walk him every day. Along the way, there is always this homeless guy sitting on the corner. Koda (the puppy) never hesitates to run up and start jumping around the man on the ground, he loves everyone. Today the gentleman without a home said Koda and I visiting has become the highlight of his days.

He went on to say how not many people even make eye contact with him, how he feels invisible in a sea of people and sometimes goes without anyone to talk to for weeks. It's not really an act of kindness I suppose, but I'm glad someone adores the puppy as much as I do. Especially someone who hasn't had much good to feel these last few years.

Acts of Kindness FactsShutterstock

14. Totally Not a Recruiter

I used to work at a well-known fast food restaurant. While I was working at the counter, I had this casual but lengthy conversation with an older couple. When I gave them their order, the man slipped me a mysterious postcard of an academy that was unknown to me, before saying 'please apply'. At home, I googled it and saw that it was a wildly expensive school for 'gifted adolescents.' I like to think he did this to me only. I've never thrown it away.

Acts of Kindness FactsShutterstock

15. iPhone Hero

I watched an iPhone fall off the roof of a car in front of me. Pulled over and got it before someone else could run it over. Called the first number I could on the phone and got an address. Returned it.

Acts of Kindness FactsWikipedia

16. It Ain’t Easy Being Green

We were about to empty and scrub my kid's little pool since it was scummy after a ton of rain, but its full of tadpoles. We'll empty and scrub it when our froggy friends are all grown up and leaving for froggy college.

Acts of Kindness FactsFlickr, Jake Wasdin

17. The Pinwheel Fairies

It's Canada Day here today and all day there were big celebrations in my small town. There's a stage with music, and some blowup kids slides, and other things; face painting, rock painting, water gun painting, street hockey tourney, street food, more fun games at the beach park, and of course fireworks. It was loud.

So, in the early afternoon, we (my mom and I) bought 30 pinwheels and 30 balloons and we just went around and gave them to kids (that didn't already have one). Felt nice seeing their smiles.

Acts of Kindness FactsShutterstock

18. Just a Little Short

I was at Goodwill waiting for my wife after paying. Saw a lady in line dump out her change purse on the counter, and I heard the cashier say it’s not enough. I knew what I had to do. I walked over and asked how much she owed. 40¢. So I put 40¢ into the lady’s hand and said have a nice day. She seemed equally happy and embarrassed. I hope she likes her new outfit.

“I Called It” Moment FactsShutterstock

19. Unexpected iPod Relay

I was running and dropped my MP3 player without realizing it on a busy city street. A nice older man literally stopped in traffic and flagged me down. When I didn’t respond because I was spacing out, he honked and waved his hands for like five seconds. People were beeping for him to go, but he was persistent. When he had my attention, he said, “He has it! He has it! Hurry!”

I turned around and ran two blocks and caught up with a guy who had just picked it up and tried to fast walk away. Thanks dude.

Nicest Compliment FactsMax Pixel

20. A Calm Voice in a Rough Spot

One time my motorcycle died at an intersection. I was like 16 or 17 maybe. It died while I was rolling and I just rolled right through the intersection (it was still a green light luckily) and down about a quarter mile maybe. I pulled the bike to the side of the road and onto the sidewalk.

It was nighttime, like maybe 10:00ish. The intersection was at a Meijer known locally as "the ghetto Meijer" and the area I rolled to was almost section eight kinda housing. On the stoop of the apartments was a gathering of fellas, just drinking 40s, smoking, talking, and for some reason wearing generally the same colour.

Needless to say, I was sketched out, like really sketched out. It was dark and I was a white looking kid (I'm half and half white/black, but look like a slightly tanned white boy). I was scared. I'm standing there trying to figure out what was wrong with my $700, whack Kawasaki ninja, just keeping a lookout over my shoulder the whole time. Then, out of nowhere this man walks up the sidewalk and I'm like, "Here we go, gotta empty my pockets I guess.”

The man stops next to me, looks at me, and smiles. "Are you okay? Do you need some help? Do you know what's wrong? I have a flashlight." I told him I had no idea what was wrong and I just was going to push it up the hill and call my dad. He offered to help and handed me the flashlight and he helped me push the bike up the sidewalk to a carwash (it was closer and we'll lit enough). I’m assuming he could tell I was sketched about the area because he talked to me the whole walk.

I called my dad and he went to the wrong car wash, so I had to wait twice as long for him. The man talked to me the whole time just about life and growing up and just talked, I didn't pay too much attention to what he was saying, I just knew it was calming me down. My dad shows up finally, the man helps us put the bike in his van (it was a little 230ish pound 250cc bike, so it was small enough to fit in a van), and then he says, “Have a good night,” and just walks away. I’ll never forget that moment in my life.

Acts of Kindness FactsShutterstock

21. Surprise Bodyguards

A stranger saved my life. My best friend and I about a creepy man following and staring at us. We were getting ready for a concert and decided to take some pictures outside. I’d say we were about one mile from the venue. My best friend started taking pics of me, and a man on a bike stopped next to us.

He said, “There’s a creepy man staring at you. He’s around the corner and keeps looking. I would take your pictures somewhere else. Be careful.” And left. Sure enough, we caught him peeking around the corner. We left. The sad thing is, we ended up warning several people about the same thing. As we got closer to the venue, several creepy older men were staring and following 12-13-year-old girls. All the concert goers banned together to keep each other safe.

Not Right in the Head FactsShutterstock

22. Guardian Angel

Not really one act of kindness, but whatever. I was around five-years-old at the time and was running around playing. I had wandered outside into the street and almost got hit by a car when this guy that was watching me picked me up at the last second. My parents were grateful to him and he basically became my babysitter as he would always sit on his porch reading. He recently passed away and although I can barely remember him, I can say he was a caring and lovable human being.

Acts of Kindness FactsShutterstock

23. Good-Deed Interception

A homeless lady at McDonald's asked me if I could spare her $1.00 to buy an apple pie because when she begged for loose change, people dropped random foreign currency coins into her box. She showed me her coin collection - mostly Malaysian ringgit, unusable in this country. If she changed it, she would have literally 40 cents (in local currency). So, I offered her my chocolate pie because it tastes better than an apple pie and I had already bought it anyway. She was genuinely happy and ate it really slowly to make it last.

Later she came back to ask if I had any leftovers she could eat, and actually started digging in my burger wrapper. I was horrified and told her to stop, and that I was more than happy to treat her to any meal she wanted. But my sentence was cut short by a staff member who came up to her with a bag of food. He told her it was from the manager on the house. She abandoned my leftovers and took the food while thanking them profusely. I wonder how she's doing now.

Acts of Kindness FactsFlickr, -Paul H-

24. Tears of Absolute Joy

I was in line at a combo grocery/drug store. Woman in front of me had a cart full of staples. Nothing but necessities. My heart sank: she was paying with cash and food stamps. The bill was 10 bucks more than she had. I gave her a twenty, told her to keep the change. I could see her eyes welling up as she thanked me, but I just told her to pay it forward if she's ever in a position to do so in the future. She got the biggest grin on her face as she wiped away her tears.

Acts of Kindness FactsShutterstock

25. I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying

I was visiting friends in a town in the Midwest with my kids and we went to an ice cream shop. My oldest was quite excited, running around, being silly while we sat outside. There was a middle-aged couple sitting out there too, so I kept asking her to come sit by me and be quiet (so she wouldn't bother them).

As we got up to leave, the couple came over and asked if they could give my daughter a gift card for the shop. I was speechless for a moment but said of course, that's so kind of you. Then they revealed their tragic reason. "We lost a daughter years ago who looked so much like her," they said, "make sure she gets more ice cream," and they left. I cried for a bit after that.

Ruined Life FactsShutterstock

26. The Little Things

I was waiting at the traffic lights to cross the road. It was raining a bit and I didn't carry an umbrella with me that day (I don't really mind the rain, so it didn't bother me that much). However, a man went up to me and held his umbrella over me while we were waiting to cross. It wasn't much, but it made me so happy.

Acts Of Kindness FactsShutterstock

27. The Importance of Being There

Several weeks ago, I found a peacock in the road on my drive home. Someone had hit him and obviously kept going. I checked to see that he was alive, and with the help of a passerby we got him carefully to the side while waiting on the local bird sanctuary.

Originally, I thought he must be dead, and I wanted to move him out of respect. When I saw he wasn't, just barely, I thought he must be close; and so I meant to stay until he passed, so he wouldn't be alone at least. I stayed for nearly an hour, calling over half a dozen places who each referred me to the others by automated messages before finally reaching someone who could help.

In that time only three people stopped to ask anything: the man who helped move the bird, and two passing cars after about 40 minutes. I find that very sad. Every other car passed right by. The saddest part is that I could hear the other peacocks calling the entire time. I don't remember if they pair or bond, but I can't believe they don't miss their friend.

Acts of Kindness FactsPixabay

28. Captain Planet Junior

I pick up trash on my way to school... I get a lot of rude comments and my friends refuse to help me even when I've got armfuls of rubbish, but they're just being selfish and can't see the bigger picture.

Acts of Kindness FactsShutterstock

29. Judgement Free Inspiration

When my son was a baby I was really nervous about nursing him in public. Early on, a man had seen me trying to nurse him and he kind of scoffed and rolled his eyes and made a disgusted face at me and I just could not let it go.

I was at a park trying to coordinate getting him latched under this blanket and was almost tearing up in frustration when an older woman (in her late 70s, early 80s) sat next to me and said, "They can be so picky, can't they?" And then patted my knee gently. I just nodded and said, "Yeah," and she said, "Looks like the blanket is giving you a hard time. Can I hold it for you?"

And then she just gently lifted the corner that kept falling off my shoulder and held it so it wouldn't slip, and I could use my free hand to get us all set up. I was shocked and stunned and thanked her so much, and once we were settled, she just said, "Not a problem, dear, we all could've used a hand with our babies. Maybe someday, you won't feel like you need the blanket!" And then she just left. I never, ever forgot her.

Acts of Kindness FactsShutterstock

30. Thank You for Your Service

My buddy and I are in the Navy. We worked the night shift from Christmas Eve into Christmas morning. When we got off, we went to the Waffle House, which is just what we did after every night shift, so we were still in uniform. I don’t remember if we even remembered that it was Christmas until we got there.

When it came time to pay up, our jaws hit the floor. We were told that three separate people had paid three separate hosts for our food. Our waitress, who knew us pretty well, gave us our paid check and the rest of the money, about $50, which we left as a tip.

Acts of Kindness FactsPixabay

31. Help from the Least Expected

When I was 16 years old I got pissed off at my parents and decided to leave my home in Los Angeles and drove my car to San Diego with two friends without telling anyone. Long story short, we got picked up by the cops in San Diego. One friend and I were reported missing by our parents back in LA, so they held him. Because the cop was cool with me the police department bought me a Greyhound ticket back to LA and dropped me off at the bus station in downtown San Diego. My other friend was released to his sister who lived in San Diego.

Greyhound drivers were on strike so buses were delayed. After a few hours I decided to leave the bus station and find my car which was at Balboa Park. Not long after I left the Greyhound station, in the middle of the night and not knowing how to get to Balboa Park, I was approached by a homeless man asking me for change. I told him I didn’t have anything and that I need to find my car and drive back to LA and that I might not have enough gas to make it home. The homeless man then gave me a couple dollars in change that he had and gave me walking directions back to Balboa Park. I declined the money and he said, “You need it more than I do right now,” and he insisted I take it.

I found my car where I had some change I used for gas along with the money the homeless man gave me. I barely made it back home without running out of gas. If the homeless guy didn’t insist on giving me his change, I would have run out of gas before making it back home.

I made it to my uncle’s house where my cousin told me my uncle, aunt, and parents were all waiting for me at the Greyhound station in LA since that’s where the San Diego PD told them I’d be.

Memorable Stranger FactsShutterstock

32. It’s the Thought that Counts

I went on a school trip to Parc Astérix in France when I was in grade 6 and was having trouble ordering a no-relish cheeseburger. Random old woman wandered up and asked me, in English, what I was trying to order, and proceeded to order it, in French, on my behalf. She forgot to ask for no relish, though.

Acts of Kindness FactsFlickr, jeffreyw

33. What Might Have Been

When I was 16, a stranger made all the difference. I worked at a frozen yogurt store and had to close late a lot (10:00 p.m. or 11:00 p.m.) by myself, no manager, supervisor or co-worker. One night, five minutes before close, a woman who worked next door at the veterinary clinic walked in for her fro-yo. As she was paying, another man walked in but was being really suspicious, just sat down and looked at the machines but didn’t make an effort to buy anything.

The woman asked me quietly if I was alone and I said yes, so she nodded and just stood in front of the cash register with me. Eventually after realizing that she wasn’t leaving, the man left without buying or saying anything. I thanked her and locked up the store. I think a lot about what could’ve happened if she didn’t stay with me, and am really grateful for her.

Acts of Kindness FactsGetty Images

34. The World’s Best Deal

Kid came into GameStop with his dad. He wanted to get Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. I was just in there pre-ordering a game and I overhead the dad saying, "I don't know, your mother would not be happy with my buying you a game." I had a few games in my car that I was going to trade in, one of which was an extra copy of MW3 I had. Walk up to the father and told him that I had the game in my car if he wants it. So, we walk out to the car and I give the kid the game and the look on his face is of pure shock and excitement. The dad actually gave me a hug, too. I felt better after a bad day.

Acts of Kindness FactsGetty Images

35. Help Thy Neighbor

Everyone always gives Jehovah’s Witnesses loads of crap, but I was walking home one day in monsoon weather, and these two dudes ran across the road to me to give me their umbrella. They told me they were only walking another five minutes and I looked like I needed it more. Little things like that.

Acts of Kindness FactsShutterstock

36. Feeding the Foodless

Just before New Years Eve 2013 I was in Canada visiting family. I was staying in a hotel by myself in Vancouver until we were to all meet up just after NYE. It was about 6:30 and I was getting hungry, so I decided to take a wander about to see what there was around. A few blocks from my hotel was a big corner convenience store. Like, almost a supermarket.

Now I'm not a big fan of cash, I tend to use card wherever possible as I find coins and notes annoying. So, I had no cash on me. Right near the entrance of the store was a homeless guy sitting on a piece of cardboard looking pretty worse for the wear. Only had a crappy old blanket and it was quite cold out. As I passed him he asked if I had any change and I replied, "Sorry, I've got no change."

Normally I just ignore homeless, but for some reason after I'd passed him and reached the sliding doors of the store, I stopped and went back to him. I said, "I haven't got any cash, just card. Is there anything you'd like from inside the store?" He said thanks, but not to worry. I assumed he wanted money for smokes or liquor or something. I went inside the store, got what I wanted for myself but then thought, “Screw it." So, I got an extra-large fruit salad with a fork, a massive bottle of water, and a warm beef sandwich to give to the homeless guy.

As I left the store, sure enough he was still there asking people for change, most of which just ignored him. I went up to him and said, "Here, I got you a few things," and I put next to him what I'd purchased. His eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas and he shook my hand and thanked me over and over. I assured him he was welcome, and it was no big deal as I walked away.

I kinda regret not sitting with him, introducing myself and eating my meal with him too. People like this often have great stories and they get very little proper human interaction. And besides, who knows? Maybe that will be me later in life? A few mistakes or wrong turns and anyone can end up in that situation.

Nicest Thing They’ve Ever Done factsShutterstock

37. King of the Arcade

When I was a kid, my aunt brought me to an arcade. She bought me some tickets so I could play. After using all my tickets, I went to tell her I was done. As we were leaving the building a random stranger gave me a lot of tickets. A LOT ! I played the whole afternoon. Now as I type this and being a grown-up, I think it was a way to open conversation with my aunt AND send me away.

Acts of Kindness FactsFlickr, Sam Howzit

38. Like a Horror Movie… Kind of

Years ago, I was on a summer road trip with some friends from Dallas to Austin. On the way down, the battery meter on my dashboard started acting funny. Jumping up then dropping down, all sorts of weird stuff.

We make it down to Austin and we're supposed to go see my one friend's show, but I say I'm going to run to an AutoZone and see about buying a new battery. It’s 6:00 or 7:00 p.m. and I assumed all the mechanics were closed. (I should also say that this is way before smart phones were a thing, and only one of us even owned a cell phone.) I buy a new battery and install it in the parking lot, turn the car on, and it's not the battery that was the issue. Crap.

I go and meet my friends after the show and say we should leave that night instead of the next morning. My rationale being that if we drive at night, we won't need the AC, (this is Texas in the middle of the summer so even at night it's going to be hot, but not unbearable) and therefore can use less battery power. We all pile in my car and get about 20 miles outside the city when my car dies. While we didn't need AC, we did need headlights. We're pulled over on the side of the road, my friend with the cell phone calls AAA, and they say it'll be an hour or so before anyone is able to make it out.

While we're standing there on the side of the road, in the near pitch black, a truck pulls over in front of my car. A man gets out and starts walking towards us. All of my friends take a step back, nominating me to do the talking/get killed first.

The man asks us what the problem is, I reply that my car's dead. He says he has a tow chain in the back of his truck, and would be able to tow us to Dallas, which is about 200 miles away. This seems like a terrible idea since I'll have to ride in my car steering and using the brakes since it's only going to be attached by a chain. But I was 19 years old and stupid, so after my friends and I talk it over, we say OK. He says that he's got a small trailer at his place about 50 miles away that we could use to tow my car, but until then, I'm steering a dead car about three feet away from this guy's bumper.

Myself and my ex-girlfriend are in my car, and my other two friends are in the truck. It wasn't until later that I learned the story of the truck driver from my friends who were riding with him. Turns out, a year or so earlier he'd been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Instead of doing treatment he decided to accept his fate and spend whatever time he had left driving all over Texas helping people who were stranded on the side of the road.

I can't remember his name anymore, but I'll never forget him rescuing us that night.

Acts of Kindness FactsShutterstock

39. Can’t Put a Price on Education

On September 14, 1986, my dad dropped me off at boarding school and gave me a five-dollar bill. I never heard from him again. He never paid my tuition bill. So, from the age of 14, I took every job I could get and worked my way through. At $4 an hour, I didn't even come close to paying off my entire bill, but the school let me stick around because I was a model student in and out of the classroom.

We get to graduation. I opened my little diploma thing expecting to see a bill in five figures. Instead there was a note: “Congratulations on your graduation. A group of us who believe in you and love you have taken care of your bill. We are proud to present you with your diploma.” I later found out that one of my friend's dad, a fairly well-off dentist, went fundraising among his golf buddies because he didn’t want to see me enter life at 18 under crushing debt.

Courtney Love factsRawpixel

40. Not-so-Sketchy Sketch Artist

I was in a diner with my wife and son and a few friends. At some point during the meal, I notice a guy from across the room staring at us. This is Texas, and the friends we were with are gay, so I thought maybe the guy was offended and couldn't stop himself from staring (it happens).

This guy walks up to the table as he's ready to leave, he hands me a piece of paper. Without looking at it I said, "I don't want that" thinking it was a religious tract or something hateful he'd written down. He puts it down on the table anyway, and says, "For you." It was this amazing sketch of all of us, just beautiful. I ran after him and thanked him, and have had it on my bulletin board for years to remind me not to be a jerk and assume the worst. Thank you, random/kind artist.

Acts of Kindness FactsGetty Images

41. Just Saved Your Life, No Need to Thank me

After my motorcycle accident, a homeless guy returning beer bottles dropped everything and dragged me out of the road. Then he went even further. I couldn't believe it. Even though he had nothing, he took my wallet out of my pocket to help me find my health card (didn't steal any of the cash I had in it), used my cellphone to call an ambulance, gave my phone back, talked a passer-by into waiting with me, and then went about his day.

Never saw the guy again, but I definitely owe him a sandwich.

Acts of Kindness FactsShutterstock

42. Girls Stick Together

A girl came up to me at the train station when a man was harassing me for my number/wouldn't leave me alone/generally being very creepy and asking what train I was taking. She said "Oh my God Sarah, it's been so long! So good to see you! Come over and say hi to me and Jake!" I'd never met her before, but I was eternally grateful she saved me from a potentially very dangerous situation.

Acts of Kindness FactsShutterstock

43. From Bad to Worse to Great

I was in Whitefish, Montana for work and decided to go to a discrete gay bar. Met this guy who I thought was pretty cool. We go back to his place and his roommates are there and everything seems cool. They’re pounding back beers and asked if I wanted one. I said sure, why not. Well, after my second beer I wasn’t feeling all that hot and decided to lay low, when all of sudden one his roommates demanded that I drink another. I tell her no. She tells me, “No, that wasn’t a question. You drink another or you leave.” It escalated so quickly I didn’t know what to do so I politely said, “Get lost,” and left.

The thing was my hotel was 15-20 miles away. I start walking back at 1:00 a.m. in the woods with no cell service and to top it off this was in October! It was 20 degrees out. This old pickup truck in the opposite direction makes a u-turn and pulls up right next to me. This old man opens his door and asks where I was going. I told him and then added I don’t have any cash to give him for the ride if he’s offering.

He tells me he wasn’t even thinking of asking for money from someone walking home by themselves at 1:00 a.m. I hop in and we start talking and he tells me the heartbreaking truth behind his actions. A drunk driver hit and killed his son on this very road. Now he rides up and down the road when he can’t sleep. He looks out for people hitchhiking after the clubs to get them home safely.

Acts of Kindness FactsShutterstock

Sources:  Reddit, , 


More from Factinate

Featured Article

My mom never told me how her best friend died. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery.

Dark Family Secrets

Dark Family Secrets Exposed

Nothing stays hidden forever—and these dark family secrets are proof that when the truth comes out, it can range from devastating to utterly chilling.
April 8, 2020 Samantha Henman

Featured Article

Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark history—or the chilling secret shared by her and Louis.

Madame de Pompadour Facts

Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress

Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark history—or the chilling secret shared by her and Louis.
December 7, 2018 Kyle Climans

More from Factinate

Featured Article

I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. I knew that she was going to take it badly, but I had no idea about the insane lengths she would go to just to get revenge and mess with my life.

These People Got Genius Revenges

When someone really pushes our buttons, we'd like to think that we'd hold our head high and turn the other cheek, but revenge is so, so sweet.
April 22, 2020 Scott Mazza

Featured Article

Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIII’s rejected queen—but few people know her even darker history.

Catherine of Aragon Facts

Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s First Wife

Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIII’s rejected queen—but very few people know her even darker history.
June 7, 2018 Christine Tran



Dear reader,


Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? We’re always looking for your input! Please reach out to us to let us know what you’re interested in reading. Your suggestions can be as general or specific as you like, from “Life” to “Compact Cars and Trucks” to “A Subspecies of Capybara Called Hydrochoerus Isthmius.” We’ll get our writers on it because we want to create articles on the topics you’re interested in. Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. Thanks for your time!


Do you question the accuracy of a fact you just read? At Factinate, we’re dedicated to getting things right. Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. We want our readers to trust us. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes miss the mark. When we do, we depend on our loyal, helpful readers to point out how we can do better. Please let us know if a fact we’ve published is inaccurate (or even if you just suspect it’s inaccurate) by reaching out to us at contribute@factinate.com. Thanks for your help!


Warmest regards,



The Factinate team




Want to learn something new every day?

Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter.

Thank you!

Error, please try again.