A mother of 3 was struggling at the airport. Then the 'mom tribe' swung into action

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Adrianne Drazin recounts an overseas trip and the unlikely help she received. / Getty

This story is part of the My Unsung Hero series, from the Hidden Brain team, about people whose kindness left a lasting impression on someone else.

Some years ago, Adrianne Drazin was flying overseas with her three children, then aged 4, 2, and 3 months. Her husband was already at her destination, so she had to travel with the kids by herself.

After a long flight, they got up to leave the plane. Drazin was hauling a carry-on suitcase, multiple diaper bags, and her baby in a car seat. Her 2-year-old and 4-year-old followed behind her. They deplaned and stopped to wait for their stroller.

As they waited, Drazin noticed a family — two parents and two young kids — standing next to her. They looked like they had everything they needed, but they seemed to be waiting for something. Then she realized they were waiting for her.

"I surely did not want to ask anybody for help, nor did I want to accept their help," Drazin recalls thinking.

So when the mother offered to carry some of her things, Drazin declined.

"My first response was to say, 'No, no, no, no, I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine. I got this,'" Drazin said.

"And she looked at me with the most assertive, strong look on her face and said, 'If you tell me how you are going to get to the baggage carousel with two little kids, an infant, an infant car seat, a stroller, and a wheelie, then I will let you go. But until you tell me how you're going to do this, I'm helping you.'"

When the four of them finally got to the exit to meet her husband, he asked how she had managed to get across the airport, carrying everything by herself.

Drazin looked around for the woman and her family, but they were gone.

"I said, 'There was this lady ... these people ... they just helped me.'"

Many years later, Drazin continues to appreciate the woman's act of generosity.

"I'm sure in her day she might not have realized it, but it made me think of her as a fellow, proud member of the mom tribe," Drazin said. "We look out for each other."

My Unsung Hero is also a podcast — new episodes are released every Tuesday. To share the story of your unsung hero with the Hidden Brain team, record a voice memo on your phone and send it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.

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