We all go through rough patches, days when nothing seems to go right, or when life feels overwhelmingly unfair. But every so often, a real-life hero shows up to remind us that kindness still exists. These heroes don’t have superpowers or flashy costumes; instead, their small yet meaningful actions can brighten the darkest of days.

• I’d been married to my husband for 10 years when I accidentally found out his real name was different. It happened during a family visit when his estranged brother let it slip. Later that evening, I asked my husband about it. He looked nervous, but then he got up and brought me an old folder. It was filled with his documents from many years ago. Turns out he had always hated his first name and started going by his middle name in high school. That’s when he decided to legally change it. When we met, he was already used to introducing himself that way and didn’t think it was a big deal.

• A lady in the park was walking with her husband, both well-dressed. They passed by a guy sitting on a bench. He didn’t look homeless, but it was clear he hadn’t showered in a while. He wasn’t crying at that moment, but his face suggested he had been crying his eyes out earlier.
  The lady got on her knees, spoke to him, and hugged him. She kept hugging and comforting him. Her husband didn’t like it and kept telling her they should be going, but she just gave him a cold stare and continued hugging the sad man.
  I fell in love with that lady right then. © KuroOni / Reddit

• Twenty years ago, an old man saw me struggling to find a quarter at the bottom of my purse near the gumball machines. I had a baby on my hip and a 2-year-old having a meltdown. In one swift motion, he took the baby and held out a handful of change.
  Little man got his gumball, Grandpa got baby kisses, and I got to take a breath. I never carry cash, but I always have changed now—just in case I’m ever the old woman in this scenario. © Unknown author / Reddit

• My mom had me at 17 and gave me up. At 20, I found her, but she said, ’’Forget about me! My husband is a powerful man, and he’d leave me if he knew about you.’’ A year later, her husband tracked me down and showed up at my door with teary eyes. My entire reality shifted as he revealed that everything my mother told me that day was a complete lie.
  He explained that he overheard a secret conversation between my mother and her mother, where he discovered she had a daughter. When he confronted her, urging her to reconnect with me, she refused and coldly claimed I was ’’dead to her.’’ Determined to find me, he hired an investigator and eventually located me. He wanted to meet his wife’s first child.
  The truth hit me so hard that I started to tremble. Then, a few moments later, I froze in total shock as he handed me a large envelope. Inside were photos of their two daughters—my half-sisters, whom I never knew existed. Along with the photos, he had included a significant amount of money, knowing I desperately needed it.
  I hugged him, tears streaming down my face. He told me that while my mother still refuses to see me, I am welcome to visit anytime to meet my sisters. What he did was one of the kindest gestures anyone has ever shown me. At that moment, he made me feel what it means to have a father, even though I never knew my own.

• When I was first married, I was dealing with a lot of mental health issues due to undiagnosed ADD and anxiety, and I fought with my husband a lot. Sometimes I would go out driving afterward to cool down.
  One time, I went through a drive-thru, and the girl at the window could tell I had been crying. She asked me if I was safe and gave me a free milkshake. © SigKapEA752 / Reddit

• During an interview for a minimum wage, fast food job, the manager asked why I didn’t have a high school diploma or GED. After explaining why I had neither, he offered me the job and paid for me to get my GED. If I passed, I didn’t owe him a thing. If I failed, I owed him the $50 it took for me to take the test. I passed and even won a one-year academic scholarship to the community college that I went through to get my GED. While I did not excel at being a student once again, I never would have had the opportunity to learn that without that manager’s generosity. I am forever thankful for the risk that man took on me. I would not be where I’m at without him. © Mis_Red / Reddit

• When I broke my ankle, every single person who saw me on the ground just looked at me and walked on. It was strange to experience. One guy, though, saw me, brought his whole truck around, and offered to take me to the hospital.
  There was already an ambulance coming, so I declined, but he sat there with me, talked to me, and told me it was going to be okay. He stands out in my memory. Almost ten people walked by and minded their own business while I was on the ground, but he came up and helped. I hope he’s doing okay. © Rhylain / Reddit

• I lost my wallet and the man who found it drove to my house to return it. I was pregnant, tired, and freaked out because that wallet had so much in it. The wallet itself had been a gift from my dear father-in-law, and it meant the world to me to get it back—not to mention not having to replace all the stuff inside it. © Unknown author / Reddit

• When I was in college, I was walking back to my apartment when it started pouring rain. I was getting drenched and, of course, got stuck at a crosswalk.
  Out of nowhere, the rain stopped pouring on me. I looked up and saw that a girl behind me had put her umbrella over me. She walked with me past my apartment and then went on her way. No one had ever done something that kind for me before—I was just shocked. © notafilmmajor425 / Reddit

• A few years ago, I was living in South Korea. I had just gotten back from a trip and was trying to get a taxi from a highway rest stop at around 2 a.m. (which was very difficult). I finally managed to book a taxi, but when the driver arrived, I couldn’t find him. He was calling me and getting frustrated, and I was getting overwhelmed.
  I don’t know if you’ve ever had to navigate life in a language that’s not your native one, but there usually comes a point where you’re so tired, that you just can’t process anything anymore. Even if you know you understand, it just stops making sense. I had reached that point. I sat down and resigned myself to losing the taxi and having to camp at the rest stop for the night.
  Some random older Korean man saw me crying and said, “I don’t speak Korean well. I’m sorry. I don’t understand.” He grabbed the phone, helped me find the taxi, and his wife (I assume) handed me some candy, patted my arm, and told me I’d be okay. Then the taxi driver was super sweet, saying, “It’s okay. You’ll be home soon.”
  All of them could have very easily ignored me, but instead, they decided, “Here’s a person who needs help, so I’m going to help.” © tadpole511 / Reddit

• When I was 20, I worked at a fabric/craft store. A lady came to the register to check out with probably $100+ worth of stuff. It was all just random cuts of fabric, paint, and assorted craft supplies—a LOT of stuff.
  Her card was declined, and she looked really upset. She started putting it all back in the cart, trying to figure out what she could afford to pay for. The lady behind her in line stepped forward and said, “Put it all back; I’ll pay for it.” She put her card in the reader, and the first lady started crying, quietly thanking her. © complacentviolinist / Reddit

• In my hometown, we have fruit stands outside the wet market. I was with my mom buying fruits for our family when an old, skinny homeless man walked up to the same stall we were at. He started looking at some fruits, particularly the bananas.
  My mom told the man to take the bundle of bananas he wanted, and she said she’d pay for them. He said thank you, took the bundle, and left. It was a small thing—just a small amount of bananas—but I still think about that almost 10 years later. What my mom did shaped who I wanted to be. © lilypadlemon / Reddit

• I was having a terrible day at work (retail). I don’t even remember why, but my stress level was 10/10, and I was almost ready to cry.
  A co-worker I didn’t even really know noticed I was struggling, so she gave me her grapefruit. She always brought one and peeled it to eat like an orange, so that’s what I did. It was amazing. © wingedcoyote / Reddit

• I had a wisdom tooth extraction and was pretty scared of going under anesthesia. I was panicking and feeling afraid. At that moment, my mind freaked out and somehow equated being put under with being put to sleep permanently.
  One of the assistants in the procedure held my hand, and I felt so surprised and safe. I hadn’t been comforted by anyone in a long time, and it was such a shock. The heart rate monitor they hooked me up to probably gave away how scared I was, but at the time, I thought she had read my mind. I was so trapped in my head, and I’d gotten good at hiding my fear, so I was surprised someone noticed I wasn’t okay.
  She didn’t have to do anything—I was going to be knocked out very quickly anyway—but she chose to comfort me with a small gesture like holding my hand. I remember crying a bit when she did that. Everything just let loose at that moment, and I couldn’t keep a calm face. I hadn’t cried in front of another person in a long time. © stray_cat_208 / Reddit

Sometimes, even when your heart is in the right place, things don’t go as planned. Good deeds, though meant to bring joy, can occasionally be misinterpreted or have completely unforeseen results. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of moments where thoughtful gestures didn’t quite land as intended.