His car stalled and he was filled with dread. Then help came from all around

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

In the fall of 2023, Corey Widmer found himself in a nightmarish situation: stuck in the middle of a busy intersection, his car stalled and unresponsive.

“There were cars all around me, in front of me, behind me, on both sides of me,” Widmer recalled.

His car had been giving him trouble, so he had left work early to drive to an auto parts store to have his battery checked. But on the way there, it died and trapped him in the middle of rush hour traffic.

“I had that sinking moment I think we all as humans have sometimes, where my gut is filled with dread and I just thought, ‘What am I going to do?’”

Moments later, Widmer’s question was answered.

“There was a man sitting in the median, holding up a cardboard sign asking for money. And he saw that my car had stalled out and he mouthed the words, ‘Do you need help?’”

After Widmer nodded a frantic “Yes,” the man put down his sign and wove in and out of traffic to get to the car.

“As the light turned green and the cars began to move, he stood behind me and he wildly waved his arms, motioning for cars to go around me,” Widmer said.

The man was able to direct traffic and free up enough space for him and Widmer to push the car over to the side of the road.

Widmer thanked him, and after saying “You’re welcome,” the man returned to his post at the median.

“Before I could think much about it, another car pulled in behind me on the shoulder,” Widmer said. “Inside the car were four or five men, all of them Spanish-speaking, and the driver jumped out," Widmer said. "Though he didn't speak English, he clearly was motioning and asking me if I needed help, and I said, ‘Yes.’”

The man pulled his car up next to Widmer’s, got out jumper cables and restarted the stalled car. Just as with the man in the median, the car full of men moved on just as quickly as they had arrived.

“I will always remember that moment ... it helped me have eyes for those who may be in need of help," Widmer said.

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.