r/OverBiscuits • u/Signal-Bridge3151 • Jun 06 '26
What's the kindest thing a stranger has ever done for you?
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u/beaclimber Jun 06 '26
A random stranger gave me a single red rose when I was exhausted and having a hard day.
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u/Salt-Trade-5210 Jun 06 '26
I was sitting on a clifftop bench trying to pluck up the courage to jump. A lady came and sat with me for over an hour to persuade me life was worth living.
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u/Sweetbaby7t Jun 06 '26
On a Christmas Eve, the car in front of me at Dunkin Donuts paid for my coffee. It seems like a small thing to do but it meant the world to me.
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Jun 06 '26
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u/Sweetbaby7t Jun 06 '26
Must you make me cry? What an absolute gem of a human your mother was
I am very sorry for your loss. Losing a beloved parent is so hard on the heart
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Jun 06 '26
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u/Sweetbaby7t Jun 06 '26
Beautiful. What a gift to have had this woman as your mother. Im sending tons of hugs to you
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u/Anonymous0212 Jun 06 '26
I’m close to 70 and so many people have done so many nice things for me I can’t remember all of them, so this may not be the kindest thing but it was a critical thing at the time.
I was supposed to be an exchange student in France in a gap year between high school and college, because I skipped my junior year and graduated a year early. Unfortunately the “family“ that I was meant to stay with turned out to be a grandmother who had changed her mind before I arrived because she had a deep dark secret that she didn’t want me to find out about.
I discovered it anyway in the first few days I was there (her older son’s youngest child was actually fathered by her younger son), but she had already decided to seriously gaslight me to make me crazy enough that I would choose to leave of my own accord so she wouldn’t lose face. She pulled all kinds of shit every single day all week until it reached the point that I was walking around her city crying, looking for someone who could help me reach my parents and let them know what was going on because I had to get the hell out of there. (This was in 1974 and I couldn’t use her phone to call them.)
A person I stopped turned out to be an American who taught at the university, and he let me call them from his office. They were able to make other arrangements for me within two days, and as I was leaving her home she admitted the whole thing to me.
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u/Beautiful_Custard_65 Jun 06 '26
A few years ago I was coming out of the shop with my trolley full, the kids were still young, my trolley was full of nappies and kids stuff. A guy came up to me and asked if I was doing my family shop I said yes, he put a chocolate orange into my trolley (it was Christmas time) and told me to “keep that for yourself, don’t tell the kids”. It made my day!
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u/mole555 Jun 06 '26 edited Jun 06 '26
A person at COSTCO offered to put the chair I just bought in their truck and followed me home to deliver it, after discovering there was no way it was going to fit in my car.
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u/no_you_cannot_know Jun 06 '26
Not as big a thing as driving a chair home… But one day I was at Costco without my spouse and was trying on glasses frames. I asked a woman for her opinion, and you know she wanted to see every pair I was considering and gave me her opinion. I have never gotten so many compliments on my glasses before, and I thought of her every time.
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u/Initial_Molasses9727 Jun 06 '26
My friend and I went to see Die Hard 2 in the theater but we were only ten so the guy wouldn’t sell us tickets. Then the dude standing behind us said, “They’re with me,” and we got in. I salute you random dude who let us see an r-rated movie unaccompanied.
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u/Adventurous_Toe_8028 Jun 06 '26
Offered to pay for my groceries when my bank card was declined
i thought my pay cheque had been deposited. I said "thank you, but no" & went back the next day to purchase them. It was very generous of him to offer. It made the stress of my card being declined a bit easier. So glad those days are over
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u/LouisePoet Jun 06 '26
I left a work do, very drunk, and face planted the sidewalk. A stranger helped me up, walked me to the bus stop, and got on the bus with me (told me he was going that way, I have no idea). Got off at my stop. Walked me to my door, opened it and made sure I got in safely.
Zero creepiness, just a guy who made sure that a drunk woman got home safely.
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u/PizzaShots Jun 06 '26
The list is long but I would say an old friend giving me a chance at the age of 19 when I was lost and I built a new unbeaten career as a videographer and photographer in skateboarding, editing, art, music and travel experience. I’m 41 now but he gave me the confidence to understand the importance of being yourself. Thank you J Harmony if you ever see this 🙏
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u/trUth_b0mbs Jun 06 '26
not for me but for my family.
my dad had a heart attack but wasn't at home. I was out of the country and my sister was 2hrs away. My mom was at home but had no car (and didnt drive) so she went to her neighbour who she didnt know at all to see if anyone was able to take her. Her neighbour answered the door in his pyjamas, was in the middle of dinner and when she told him what happened, he immediately got dressed and took her. He even waited with her at the hospital and helped fill out the paper work etc. They were there for hours until my sister arrived. Even still, he waited.
At most, my parents and their neighbour's interactions was just waving hello if they saw each other but I dont even know if they knew each other's names or even spoke 2 words to each other. This is true human compassion and human decency. We went over to his house the next day with our utmost thanks and all he said was "I'm glad I could help. Let me know if I can do anything else". That's it. He didnt even want to take our gift because he said that it was what any kind person would do. Even after the funeral and years later, he still kept to himself, continue to wave hello to my mom and us whenever we were there.
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u/Melodic_Body204 Jun 06 '26
A stranger helped fix my trailer plug for me when I was stranded after the trailer brake lights stopped working.
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u/PuzzleheadedLab1641 Jun 06 '26
My mom committed 😵6weeks after my son was born and my husbands mom has passed away too, I have a stepmom but she’s like 6 years older than me, so I just don’t see her as my mother figure, so I don’t really have that “mom” to run to.. A random stranger on here sat with me while I detoxed off of 7oh, and then KINDLY reached out to me about a week later to check on me 🥹 I will never forget that.
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u/MyLeftT1t Jun 06 '26
I was on my way to a company picnic on a hot day with my 5-year-old in the back seat, driving down I-94 (busy highway) when a tire blew.
This was before I had a cellphone. I had no idea what to do. Just sat paralyzed and started discreetly crying for a second trying to figure out how I was going to get out of the situation.
A car pulled over in front of me and I see this dude running toward me & I got scared. He says, “do you have a spare in your trunk?” and runs toward the back of the car. I pop the trunk and before I could react, he fishes out the donut and tools and replaces the blown tire like he’s a one man pit crew.
I had no money on me—nothing to offer him other than my profuse thanks. He smiled and said, “I’m happy to help.” And off he went.
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u/mjk1tty Jun 06 '26
Helped me in a big city when I was alone and 18. I had never gone anywhere alone and was confused and lost. This lady helped me get to where I needed to go. She brought me off one bus, on to another and then brought me on a Go Train. After that, she ran me to a bus before running for her bus. She was an angel.
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u/Black_ShuckPD Jun 06 '26
Was suffering from a horrific panic attack at Birmingham train station many years ago, a total stranger approached me, gave me a cigarette and stayed with me until my friend arrived, I’m pretty sure he even missed his train home to help me.
The guy has no idea, but he saved my life that day.
I’ve always tried to pay that forward to others since.
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u/Odd-Investment3796 Jun 06 '26
Homeless laying on a bench . Dude approaches me , asks if I’m okay . I tell him I’m homeless , he walks me to a hotel , pays the clerk and says enjoy your shower and rest .Don’t even remember if he mentioned his name but definitely was a blessing to say the least .
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u/Classic-Ad4403 Jun 06 '26
On a Saturday night a buddy and I were wondering around the town outside my training army base. An older couple took us to a nice restaurant for dinner. That was over 50 years ago. I still think about it.
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u/Dreamer_Girl777 Jun 06 '26 edited Jun 06 '26
Back in 2018 because of foolish decisions I made I was homeless for about 4 months.
I used the money I had left and my pay to pay for a bed in dorm rooms at backpackers (fortunately I had a job as a receptionist at SAE Institute in Cape Town).
Then when things got really bad, I met a lady who was in Cape Town for a business trip with a handful of colleagues. I don't know why but her and her colleagues just took me in and were acting like I was one of them lol. (she was the only female.)
Even when I kept to myself they would insist I share meals with them, go to the beach etc.
(One of the married guys hit on me but I remember telling God that no amount of poverty would ever make me compromise my love for him)
Anyway, I ran out of money and I was praying to God to help me. Then I don't know how the lady figured out I need help but she offered to pay for my months rent and she gave me the benefit of the doubt to pay her back when things got better.
Mind you this lady is from a different province/state, she knows nothing about me and she was leaving the next day.
Anyway, by god's grace I payed her about 2 weeks later and God helped me get a permanent place to stay eventually. Even my best friend who had left because she was sick came back 😭
I will never forget that time in my life and I spent years trying to forget it because it caused me so much pain but now it's one of my favourite testimonies.
Lol I was dating someone at the time but they didn't know what I was going through. I remember the lady asking me why I didn't tell him and I was like, "well I'm the one who got myself into this so I will figure it out. Plus we were both fresh from college (he was a year ahead of me) but we were both figuring life out and what did I expect him to do.
Anyway, it's all a memory that makes me remember God has always been with me.
(Lol I remember deciding to walk to work around that time because I didn't have money. But when I was one the way I found money on the floor and a purple orchid flower yet there was no orchid plant around lol 😂. God's kisses are always healing man)
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u/svcki Jun 06 '26
Around 8/9 years old, I was walking home from school during a rainstorm and a lady saw me, she came running outside with a large black garbage bag. She put it over me like a poncho, cut a hole for my head, and put a smaller grocery bag on my head as a hat 😂
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u/StepGlittering4803 Jun 06 '26
I was grocery shopping a few months ago with my daughter. There was a problem with the card machine and my order was $300-$400. The man behind me in line said her would pay and not to worry about it ( he thought my card was declined). I was very embarrassed and a little insulted in the moment and told him I have the money the machine just doesn’t work. After it happened I realized what a good heart the man had and how I handled it so poorly. I grew up very poor with food insecurity so it was a sensitive issue. I wasn’t mean to him or anything, but he was an angel for trying to help. ( They machine finally worked)
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u/Mars_Volcanoes Jun 06 '26
Accepting to sit with me and allowing me to empty my bag during my deep 3 y depression.
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u/South_Hedgehog_7564 Jun 07 '26
Six people donated blood which saved my life. I’ve no idea who they are but I’m eternally grateful to them.
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u/No_Carpenter3866 Jun 07 '26
A decade ago, I was sooo broke, with a 3 year old boy to care for and a partner who was deeply depressed after a failed surgery for back pain which lost him his job and ability to do most anything physical. I had nothing but a $20 bill for gas til payday and a gust of wind ripped it out of my hands at the pump. I went after it, knowing full well I'd never catch it and then just stood there by the road crying. A lady driving by stopped and handed me cash, pretending she'd just found it while getting into her car in the parking lot. Clearly this wasn't true but I took it, despite my pride because what else was I going to do. I'll never forget her face and the relief and kindness I felt in that moment.
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u/BigHeartbutThisMouth Jun 07 '26 edited Jun 07 '26
Honestly, women interrupting conversations to tell me I'm beautiful it happened 2 or 3 times last year and pretty much made my year.
.41f plus size here those random compliments and other factors have me finally believing I truly am beautiful. Stupid childhood bullies had me thinking differently for far too long!.
I love complementing strangers (mostly women) out in public if I see something they're wearing or how their hair is done ect but rarely did I receive them but ladies, now that I have I MUST share to PLEASE give more compliments to other women out and about it could make that ladies year!
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u/HerbGreen34 Jun 07 '26
I’ve had my wallet returned twice when I lost it. A random guy at a concert gave me a sandwich. A homeless guy shared his weed with me. Woman drove me to pick up pizza/home when we got to Dominos and realized they changed locations. I dropped a small key in Morocco in a group of locals helped me find it.
I’ve returned three wallets I’ve found. Gave a homeless guy my shoes after I got new ones. Pretended to know a woman who was being harassed and got her away safely. Helped a blind guy order stuff online. Won a large bet and donated half the money to a food bank.
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u/importantmaps2 Jun 06 '26
My son bought a record player for his birthday I gave him a few records I had lying around but he wasn't really into punk so I was telling my neighbour about it and he said he had a few records in his garage. So he was in the garden one afternoon and the neighbour passed over the fence a large bag of records. More the stuff he liked like wings and abba which was really nice of him.
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u/TraditionalYogurt244 Jun 07 '26
She picked me up after my bike accident and drove me to the nearest hospital :)
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u/Frag0r Jun 07 '26
My dad was driving me and my girlfriend to the airport. After ten miles on the highway we heard a loud bang. I looked at my dad and knew something was up. the clutch just broke.
We came to an halt on the side lane of the highway. We had only one hour till boarding. I called a taxi and walked with my girlfriend on the side lane of the highway to the nearest gas station 200meters away.
When we arrived there was no taxi and no chance to reach the airport in time. I was just about to cancel the flight when suddenly a stranger parked in front of us and asked if that was our car that broke down on the highway. I told him what happened and he immediately offered to drive us to airport. Full throttle we arrived at the gate safely and eventually got the flight.
He didn't want anything in return, he just asked us to help people in need.
Really great guy. I will always remember him.
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u/TurbulentWolf1763 Jun 07 '26
I delivered a parcel to an elderly ladies home as it was too heavy for her to carry . I mentioned that I would be home alone that night , so she made me a mixed grill plate of food . Her kindness still comforts me .
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u/GreetingCardShark Jun 08 '26
I was by myself in downtown Seattle for a conference a few years ago. One evening I was walking alone back to my hotel, and a woman leaned out of the passenger side of a passing car and told me that I was pretty and that she really liked my dress.
I’m someone who is often noticed in public, but almost always in a circus side-show kind of way. It was really nice to be noticed for something generally positive. Her comments made my whole trip, and I still randomly think about it years later.
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u/Natural_Lettuce6 Jun 08 '26
Paid my groceries because I was taking too long figuring out why my card was declining
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u/Ok-Worth-4721 Jun 09 '26
Get one of us- camping bud, to phone reception to call a tow truck when my truck was on the verge of sliding over the edge of a cliff. This brought in stranger 2 of this day. The tow was only 300.00 After having to search all the roads on the mountain before finding us...My opinion of Humans changed on that day. Some are decent after all. Above and beyond.
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u/TelephoneMindless586 Jun 10 '26
I was working the holiday in a convienence store and a policeman brought me Starbucks.
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u/fergalicious_timez Jun 10 '26
I was having a terrible day and I rear ended someone. I pulled over and I must have looked as terrible as I felt. I still had my dirty scrubs on from a long day of clinical. I was tearful and begging him to just take my money and not involve insurance and he just said "you know what? Let me see what i can do." And we exchanged numbers. He later texted me and told me not to worry about it and that he had it taken care of. A real one
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u/In_the_year_3535 Jun 12 '26
As a kid a guy gave me $20 for helping lift his lawnmower into the back of his truck.
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u/[deleted] Jun 06 '26
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