Category

strangers doing good

Nov 27
0

Uber Driver Has The Best Response To Lonely Passenger’s Touching Story

By | Food for thought, generosity, inspiring, kindness, stories, strangers doing good, uplifting news

On Monday night, Lina was traveling back home by Uber. On the way, she struck a conversation with the driver that seemed innocent at that moment.

She told him about how she had been feeling homesick recently and missed eating Bengali food as her family lives in Sudan.

She went on to say that because of the lack of communication from her loved ones, she felt extremely lonely in London.

A casual conversation

When Lina mentioned that she had been surviving on canteen food at work and hadn’t cooked food at home in weeks, the cab driver drove towards his house mid-journey and asked his wife to fix a plate of curry for his passenger.

While other drivers would have continued the conversation out of politeness, this particular Uber driver went above and beyond to comfort his passenger.

It’s the generosity of communion that holds us together. He even offered me rice as well, but I was like, no, please I have rice, this is too much.

Lina via her Twitter

A heartwarming gesture

The driver, however, insisted on grabbing some fresh home-cooked food for her to enjoy. The detour wasn’t planned, but after hearing Lina’s story, the cab driver felt the need to show her that there are people who cared for her.

He gave her a box of Murgir Lal Jhol, a Bengali chicken curry to take with her. The kind gesture shown to her by the Uber driver touched her heart so much so that she immediately took to Twitter to share her feelings of gratitude.

Generosity in times of isolation

In times of loneliness and isolation, an act of kindness such as the one the thoughtful Uber driver performed is precious. The feeling of having someone care for you, even if it is momentarily, will forever be remembered. This story shows that there are no boundaries for kindness and that you can make a person smile and make their day even by being a stranger. Sometimes an honest conversation can bring unexpected blessings into others’ lives. 

More uplifting stories

Kindness Lasts Forever

Even a small act of kindness can have a lasting impact.

https://www.goalcast.com/uber-driver-act-of-kindness-towards-lonely-passenger/

Nov 24
0

Passengers Stunned At Stranger’s Response To Anxious Elderly Woman On Flight

By | Food for thought, inspiring, kindness, stories, strangers doing good, uplifting news

When Megan Ashley took her seat on a Southwest Airlines flight from San Diego to Nashville on July 29th, 2019, she sat an aisle away from an unlikely duo: a 96-year-old woman and her so-called “flight angel.”

Taking off

The elderly woman was flying to Kansas City in order to celebrate her birthday with her family. But as it was her first flight in fifteen years, she was nervous. Hoping to find some comfort, she asked the man beside her for his help.

“She asked for this man’s hand during takeoff and then hugged him again when experiencing turbulence,” Ashley later wrote in a Facebook post.

This gentleman I should say, gladly took her hand, let her hold onto him, calmed her by talking to her and explaining everything that was happening, and simply was that stranger there for her.

Megan Ashley’s Facebook post

Smooth ride

The kindness did not end there: the man continued to look out for the woman for the rest of the flight, helping her into her wheelchair, holding her bag, and waiting for her to find her daughter.

“I walked away sobbing happy tears being so thankful for people like this wonderful human. She was so grateful that she wanted him to have her in-flight pretzels,” Ashley wrote.

Hats off to you sir, for your kind heart and your compassion toward someone whom you’ve never met. I have never been so touched on a flight before. This truly made my week.

Megan Ashley

Safe landing

Ashley was so moved by the gesture of kindness, she posted the story- along with a couple of photos- of the interaction. The post now has hundreds of thousands of likes and shares. The comments, nearly 300 of them, thank Ashley for sharing this kind moment.

“It’s so nice to be able to see kindness and good deeds as they are happening,” posted one person. “Thank you for sharing and letting all of us feel the joy. Love to you!”

Another commented, “Such a heartwarming story. Thank God you witnessed this to share and warm the hearts of sooo many, especially mine! May all that goodness return to that fine man doubly and more and the people responsible for making this fine guy a true gentleman.”

Spread Love

The gesture of kindness between two strangers not only affected those who witnessed it in real time, but people from all around the world who found the post on Facebook. The post shows us both the importance of caring for each other and how sharing these moments can lighten up all those around us. Ashley ends her post with “#spreadlove,” reminding us of an important message: The world is often scary, but being there for each other makes it easier to face.

More uplifting stories

choose love

“Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.”- Mother Teresa

https://www.goalcast.com/stranger-helps-terrified-elderly-woman-on-flight/

Nov 18
0

“She Put Her Baby’s Life Ahead of Her Own” – Strangers Reunite Mom With Lost Child Amidst Hurricane Chaos

By | family, Food for thought, rescue, social media, stories, strangers doing good, uplifting news

When Hurricane Harvey hit Texas in 2017, it caused major flooding that left Dajauh Zhane Henix and her baby in neck deep water, surrounded by swift currents.

Rescue workers managed to save the mother and daughter, but they were separated and taken to different shelters.

Panicked without her baby, Henix asked for help on Facebook with a post and a photo of her daughter.

“If anybody is on the east side and at a shelter on Garret road please keep a look out for my baby,” she wrote, according to Insider. “We were separated while evacuating. Pleaseeeee. She have on a pink neon shirt wrapped in a blue blanket.”

Constable was looking for the mother too

Unbeknownst to Henix, Constable Diaz was also looking for the baby’s mother.

He posted on Facebook with a photo of him holding the baby.

“We are trying to find the mother to this baby,” the post read. “The mother was last seen wearing a purple shirt on South Lake Houston Parkway.”

Reunited at last

Incredibly, the post was shared more than 31,000 times allowing the mother to reunite with her baby.

“This mother did what any great parent would do,” Diaz wrote in a comment on the post. “She realized how fast and deep the water current was…She put her baby’s life ahead of her own and asked for us to take the baby to higher ground.”

The baby was in great hands and we made sure she was reunited with her mother.

Constable Christopher E. Diaz

When Henix got her baby back in her arms again, she breathed a huge sigh of relief. The grateful mother then proceeded to comment under Diaz’s original post.

Thank you sooooo much for keeping her with you!! You are a life saver [heart emoji] greatly appreciated. 

Dajauh Zhane Henix

Don’t hesitate to ask for help

It’s hard to imagine the level of anguish this mother must have felt without her baby during the flood, but as we know, the story has a happy ending.

What this proves is that strangers are willing to help when we ask, and that while something can seem hopeless at the time, things have a way of working out.

More uplifting stories:

Be the help someone needs

“Sign of life is not whether you are breathing, but whether you are helping others.” ― Abhijit Naskar

https://www.goalcast.com/panicked-mom-loses-child-amidst-hurricane-chaos-strangers-reunite-them/

Aug 27
0

Gay Man’s Gut Feeling Saves Woman From Potentially Sketchy Date

By | dating, Food for thought, helping others, stories, strangers doing good, toxic relationships, uplifting news

Strangers looking out for strangers.

A guardian angel

Earlier this month, Twitter user @Hadia__S was out on a coffee date when a gay man sitting behind her passed her a note.

In a now-viral post, the woman shared a photo of the note, which was given to her while her date was in the bathroom.

“I had coffee with a guy yesterday. When he went to the bathroom, the gay guy sitting behind me passed me this note,” she wrote.

“Too many red flags. Run. Be safe girl.”

She saw red flags, too

The woman went on that the date was indeed filled with red flags. One bad sign was “not seeing eye to eye” on the situation when rapper Da Baby expressed homophobic views to a live audience. Another was the date’s admiration for Kevin Samuels, who has been called a “pseudo-love guru” who “exploits the vulnerability of Black women.”

“Ok, I’ll share more..while trying to remain as vague as possible. But we did not see eye to eye on the Da Baby situation and he’s a Kevin Samuels fan. I had to look him up and was immediately taken aback lmao,” she wrote.

“I recognized the red flags, but I wasn’t in danger, so I stayed, because of course I had to debate him. I’m sure my guardian angel was exhausted and was like “BITCH, LEAVE!””

Thankful that someone was watching her back

The Twitter user added that despite seeing the red flags herself, she appreciated the note from the stranger and it gave her a good laugh.

She also addressed questions in the comments asking whether there’d be a second date — the answer was no.

“There were a few other GLARING red flags that I won’t mention, but don’t worry, I would have recognized them with or without the note. But the note was greatly appreciated and added some laughs to my night. There won’t be a second date,” she wrote.

Listen to gay men

In the comments, user @endlessblissx pointed out how gay men are always looking out for women.

“Did you listen? cause if anyone knows men better, it’s GAY MEN.”

Others shared that men who date men are excellent authorities on the subject and should be listened to.

“I’m just saying if a man who dates men, tells me to run tuh I’m hitting the JETS,” wrote @misseverywhereg

“Men who date men know men.. you might wanna listen girl, ijs,” wrote @thatdamnbrook

Look out for each other

When we’re meeting someone for the first time, especially on a date, it can be tough to glean who they truly are. Sometimes, we miss telltale signs that show the person might not be as great as they seem.

Figuring these red flags out early on can save us a lot of anguish down the line, but it’s not always easy to recognize them. That’s why if we see red flags anywhere, whether it’s a stranger or a friend, it’s a kind thing to gently let them know. We all have to look out for each other in this complex world.

More uplifting news:

https://www.goalcast.com/2021/08/27/gay-man-slips-woman-date-note-red-flags/

Aug 03
0

Hero of the Week: Teacher Raises $130K to Help Abandoned LGBTQ Teen Head to College

By | Education, Food for thought, Hero of the week, Inspiring Stories, kindness, LGBTQ+, strangers doing good

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Going to college was 18-year-old Seth Owen’s lifelong dream. He was always reading, learning, participating in extracurriculars and helping others whenever he could.

seth-owen
Photo Credit: Jane Martin/GoFundMe.

“I was the nerd in fifth grade who walked around recess talking about how I wanted to be an astronaut,” Owen told NBC News. His hard work started paying off, as college acceptance letters started coming in, including from prestigious Georgetown University. His teachers could not be prouder.

Back home though, things were far from peaceful or happy. In his sophomore year, his very religious family found out he was gay. “I was writing a paper and my decided to check my phone late in the evening,” the Florida teen told NBC News. That night, his parents questioned him until the early hours of the morning.

In no time whatsoever, his parents sent him to a “Christian counselor” to undergo was amounted to conversion therapy, the medically debunked process of “converting” an LGBTQ individual to heterosexuality. Of course, it didn’t work, but somehow Owen managed to convince his parents to let him discontinue his “treatment.”

A dedicated student despite his struggles at home

All the while, Owen’s grades remained high and his academic participation exemplary. But things were becoming worse at home. He still had to attend his family’s church, were homophobia was rampant, open and aggressive. He didn’t feel welcome. He didn’t feel loved. He didn’t feel safe. And when he asked his parents of could attend a different church, they gave him an ultimatum: he could continue going to their church and remain at home, or he could leave the family home.

Worried for his well-being, he had to leave, and ended up sleeping on friends’ couches. And still his grades were exemplary, and Owen even became co-valedictorian of his class. But Georgetown University would not change its financial aid – even though Owen showed ample proof that he no longer had parental support or aid and yet was about to graduate with a 4.61 GPA.

Teacher of the year

Photo Credit: Jane Martin/GoFundMe.

Jane Martin, a biology teacher who taught Owen during his freshman year and mentored him through college found out about his struggles. And she was not about to let a bright young mind suffer, because his family did not understand him or love him. “Seth was just a kid that really stood out to me. He was super ambitious and was always trying to go above and beyond to make sure he could be as successful as possible.”

Consulting with other teachers and students, she set up a $20,000 GoFundMe campaign, aimed at covering tuition cost for his first year. But Owen’s story touched people and donations started pouring in. Owen, who was about to be forced t take a gap year, couldn’t believe how many people responded with messages of support, encouragement whatever they could spare.

Soon, there were $2,000 pledged. Then the $20,000 goal was reached, and even more people heard about his story, his pain and his drive for learning. Now, Owen is getting ready to move to Washington D.C. within the month to start classes at Georgetown, where, thanks to kind strangers and the support of his former teacher he will be able to cover tuition – at press time, the fundraiser had totaled nearly $130,000 in pledges.

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Reconnect with your dreams and jumpstart your personal transformation with Goalcast’s new inspirational ebook, Explore Your Potential: Start the Journey to Your Dream Life.

Transformation doesn’t just happen. It takes a plan and a support system. This how-to guide is full of the top wisdom, tips, exercises, and success stories to inspire an old dream or create a new one.

Check out a teaser of what’s inside.

https://www.goalcast.com/2018/08/03/teacher-raises-130k-help-abandoned-lgbtq-teen-head-college/

Jul 06
0

Plane Passenger Asks Stranger to Switch Seats, Triggers Encounter Between Potential Soulmates

By | fitness, Food for thought, Inspiring Stories, kindness, love, strangers doing good

Rosey Blair, actor, writer, tweeter and now possible matchmaker was on a flight to Dallas on July 3 when she asked a random stranger if they could switch seats so she could sit next to her boyfriend.

encounter-plane-passengers
Photo Credit: Rosey Blair

The woman said yes, and Rosey and her boyfriend joked that perhaps the person to be seated next to her will be the love of her life. Little did they know they were about to predict the future – maybe.

As Rosey and her boyfriend settled in, the woman’s seat neighbor showed up. Before the plane had even taken off, the two strangers were caught up in animated conversation, smiling and hashing out their shared interests.

With no TV on board but armed with WiFi and boundless optimism – and more than a little curiosity – Rosey kept an eye on the cute couple whom she dubbed #prettyplanegirl and #hunkyplaneguy and started tweeting, even buying extra WiFi to keep the internet posted.

Soon, more than 250,000 people had tuned into her live reporting of the possibly bubbling romance for the millennial age. The two newly famous internet stars soon discovered they were both personal trainers and vegetarians, and started talking about their families.

As Rosey remarked, “there were no wedding rings in sight,” which gave her further hope as the two flirty passengers started showing each other family pictures.

As a baby smiled and waved at the two passengers and Rosey continued live tweeting updates, #hunkyplaneguy – whom the internet renamed #planebae – and his seat partner shared a cheese plate while slowly moving closer to each other.

In fact, before the plane landed the kind woman even rested her head on planebae’s shoulder for a second, sending Rosey, her boyfriend and the entire internet into a tizzy.

Feeling a responsibility towards her audience and eager to learn more herself, Rosey followed the two off the plane to see them walk off together.

As the plane love story continued to blow up on social media, even being picked up by major news outlets, the story made its way to planebae, who contacted Rosey.

It turns out his name is Euan Holden and he is a former pro soccer player — a down-to-earth guy who found the online attention and Rosey’s reporting hilarious, albeit somewhat overwhelming.

While Rosey thought she was being rather subtle, it turns out Euan had caught on to her antics.

While #prettyplanegirl has so far decided to remain anonymous, feeling overwhelmed by the massive media attention the plane fling garnered, everybody involved continues to be touched by the countless well wishes and positive thoughts being sent their way from strangers across the world.

Reconnect with your dreams and jumpstart your personal transformation with Goalcast’s new inspirational ebook, Explore Your Potential: Start the Journey to Your Dream Life.

Transformation doesn’t just happen. It takes a plan and a support system. This how-to guide is full of the top wisdom, tips, exercises, and success stories to inspire an old dream or create a new one.

Check out a teaser of what’s inside.

Plane Passenger Asks Stranger to Switch Seats, Triggers Encounter Between Potential Soulmates

Jun 11
0

8-Year-Old Goes Out of His Way to Help Elderly Woman, Shows Us the Power of Random Acts of Kindness

By | children, Food for thought, Inspiring Stories, kindness, selflessness, seniors, strangers doing good

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When eight-year-old Maurice Adams Jr. saw an elderly woman with a walker struggle to get up a flight of stairs, he rushed to help her.

young-boy-helps-grandma-up-stairs
Photo Credit: Riley Duncan/WGXA.tv via Facebook

His selfless and joyful act of kindness was caught on camera by a passerby and soon went viral, touching hearts across the world.

Maurice, who lives in Georgia, was on his way home with his sister and mom Contricia Hill when he first noticed an elderly woman with a walker crossing a busy road by herself.

But when she was met by a flight of stairs and started struggling, Maurice immediately asked his mom if he could get out of their car and go help, Channel 2 Action News reported.

Getting the greenlight from his proud mom, Maurice hopped out of the car and patiently helped the older woman up each step. With one arm around her and the other helping lift her walker, Maurice and the older lady successfully made it up the steps, hugging at the end to celebrate the win.

Maurice’s new friend patted him on the back and told him he was special for helping out. Both of them smiling, Maurice hopped down the stairs and back into his mom’s car.

How the story went viral

But unbeknownst to Maurice and his family, a stranger saw the entire beautiful interaction and caught in camera. The bystander, Riley Duncan, was so touched by Maurice’s kindness, he shared it to a local Facebook group with the caption “God bless our youth” so others too could appreciate the moment.

Comments and shares went wild, with many praising Maurice for being a “sweet young man” and a “young gentleman.” Many raised Maurice as an example for youth and remarking what a great job his family has done to instill such selfless values in him.

“Young man, you are a treasure. Always keep your kindess and never let other people that that away from you. Five gold stars for your kindess and Five gold stars for the parents whom are doing a superb job raising this child into a decent caring person,” one commenter wrote.

More heartwarming reactions

When mom Contricia Hill learned that her son has become internet-famous for his random act of kindness she couldn’t be prouder, telling a local news channel: “It’s touching. It’s very touching. (It just shows) respect and raising your kids right goes a long way.”

As for what bystander Riley thought of the interaction? “I was so proud and it made me feel so good and I started crying,” he told WGXA, adding he recorded the moment “with tears.” In fact, Riley was so touched, he revealed to CBS News he will be rewarding Maurice with a $100 for his kindness.

When asked what motivated his drive to help, Maurice simply said: “She was struggling, so I decided to help her.”

We can all be more like Maurice.

518 Shares

Reconnect with your dreams and jumpstart your personal transformation with Goalcast’s new inspirational ebook, Explore Your Potential: Start the Journey to Your Dream Life.

Transformation doesn’t just happen. It takes a plan and a support system. This how-to guide is full of the top wisdom, tips, exercises, and success stories to inspire an old dream or create a new one.

Check out a teaser of what’s inside.

8-Year-Old Goes Out of His Way to Help Elderly Woman, Shows Us the Power of Random Acts of Kindness

Apr 12
0

Watch Celebrity Trainer Bob Harper Meet the Man Who Saved His Life During a Massive Heart Attack

By | Celebrities, Food for thought, Inspiring Stories, strangers doing good, survivors

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The Biggest Loser host and celebrity fitness trainer Bob Harper is no stranger to big reveals and dramatic television moments.bob-harper-surprise-man-saved-him

But on a recent Dr. Oz episode, the fitness guru had a surprise of his own: Meeting the man who helped save his life during a massive heart attack.

The hero stranger, who performed CPR on Harper when he collapsed while working out at a gym, was tracked down by the Dr. Oz team.

I believe in the power of human spirit.

— Bob Harper

That stranger turned out to be a med student named Philip, who up until that point had never even performed CPR. He had trained on CPR dummies, but never on an actual person, let alone one who was dying in front of his eyes.

“I was feeling for your pulses, which were weak, and then they stopped. And then all of a sudden— do you want to hear it? All of a sudden you turned blue. Like actually blue,” Philip told a speechless Harper.

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Realizing the severity of the situation, Philip immediately began CPR. Thanks to his efforts, and those around him, Harper survived until emergency services took over. The celebrity trainer spent two days in the hospital completely unconscious after the incident.


More than a year later, the near-miss is still affecting Harper. Overcome with emotion, the 52-year-old was visibly shaken by Philip’s recounting of the incident. What makes the story even more impressive is that the day of Harper’s heart attack was the first time Philip had gone to that gym.

I don’t feel like I need to be in control as much as I thought I needed to in the past.

— Bob Harper

Known for his hardcore approach to fitness and life, Harper is now enjoying a slower pace of living.

According to Men’s Health, the trainer has brought down the intensity of his workouts, switched to the Mediterranean diet and brought more peace into his life. “I’m more relaxed. I’m a lot easier to be around, I hope. I’ve always been a very type A person and now I’ve let loose the reins,” he said.

221 Shares

Reconnect with your dreams and jumpstart your personal transformation with Goalcast’s new inspirational ebook, Explore Your Potential: Start the Journey to Your Dream Life.

Transformation doesn’t just happen. It takes a plan and a support system. This how-to guide is full of the top wisdom, tips, exercises, and success stories to inspire an old dream or create a new one.

Check out a teaser of what’s inside.

Watch Celebrity Trainer Bob Harper Meet the Man Who Saved His Life During a Massive Heart Attack

Apr 06
0

Bride Sends Wedding Invitation to the Wrong Address, Receives a Note that Makes Her Day

By | celebration, Food for thought, humanity, Inspiring Stories, kindness, strangers doing good

Planning and organizing a wedding is no small feat, especially when you’ve got 200 guests coming. Mishaps can happen, as one Oregon bride-to-be overwhelmed with work and wedding planning found out.

Cassandra Warren sent one of her invitations to the wrong address. Surprisingly, she got an answer back from the unintended recipient – one that made her day.

Warren thought she mailed an invitation to her aunt and uncle in Eugene, Oregon, who live just 20 minutes from her home. But the invite never made it to her relatives, as Cassandra realized when she got her own invitation back in the mail, according to The Washington Post.

RELATED: Woman Sends Text to the Wrong Number, Unknowingly Ends Up Helping Two Children with Cancer

Warren was struggling with a particularly stressful day when she received the returned invitation. But when fiancé Jesse Jones opened the envelope and showed it to her, she found a handwritten note. “I wish I knew you – this is going to be a blast. Congratulations – go have dinner on me. I’ve been married for 40 years—it gets better with age,” it read. Attached was a $20 bill.

Photo Credit: Cassandra Warren

Te anonymous do-gooder not only turned around the bride’s day, but proved she understood both Warren and her fiancé. Upon closer inspection, Cassandra realized the kind stranger also wrote “Livelong and prosper” on the envelope – a wish not only for a happy life, but also an acknowledgement of the couple’s love of Star Trek (their invites were Star Trek and Harry Potter-themed).

Thankful for the stranger’s kindness, Warren replied. She addressed it to Kind Stranger and wrote her own heartfelt note: “Thank you for the note and taking time to send it. Not many people would have done that. It was a big blessing after the day I was having. I am thankful for people like you still being in the world.”

Reconnect with your dreams and jumpstart your personal transformation with Goalcast’s new inspirational ebook, Explore Your Potential: Start the Journey to Your Dream Life.

Transformation doesn’t just happen. It takes a plan and a support system. This how-to guide is full of the top wisdom, tips, exercises, and success stories to inspire an old dream or create a new one.

Check out a teaser of what’s inside.

Bride Sends Wedding Invitation to the Wrong Address, Receives a Note that Makes Her Day