A transit worker gave Donald an unexpected gift: a hug from his son

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 spring of 2023, Donald Kabara visited Washington, D.C., with his son, Tim Kabara, and Tim's family.

On the last day of the trip, Kabara was scheduled to fly back home to Oklahoma — a trip that would begin with a ride to the airport on D.C.'s subway system.

After they arrived at the subway station, Tim insisted on walking his father inside. But when they got there, Kabara wasn't sure which train to take to get to the airport.

“So I approached the attendant, a middle-aged woman, and asked her for directions,” Kabara remembered.

The woman told him to pass through the gate, take the escalator down and turn to the right, where he would find his train.

“I gave my son one hug, and a second hug,” Kabara said. “He was standing next to me at her booth, so she kinda saw that it was a special moment for me.”

Kabara went down the escalator to wait for his train. Then, all of a sudden, he saw his son.

“And I asked, ‘What are you doing here?’” Kabara said. “He told me the attendant told him he should come down and give me an extra hug goodbye.”

His son gave him another hug, and Kabara went on his way to the airport.

In recent years, Kabara has struggled with the loss of loved ones. His wife died six years ago, and shortly after, one of his sons died. He now lives alone in Oklahoma, far from his children and grandchildren. His son, Tim, lives in Wisconsin.

“So that hug was a special hug — not just from my son, but also it represented the thoughtfulness, kindness and care that this woman had for someone passing through the station,” Kabara said.

What also stood out to him was that it all began with the act of noticing — how the woman perceived the importance of a small moment at the station.

“And she not only perceived and understood it, she had the compassion to take action and support me in my life.”

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.