In 2013, Alie was having one of the hardest years of her life. Then she got a Facebook message from a generous stranger.

Trieste Belmont says small kindnesses can be more powerful than we realize.

A stranger at the beach helped Lynn Fainsilber Katz, and left her feeling like she could continue the life she wants to have.

Vige Barrie was walking to an important meeting in Washington, D.C. She remembers feeling confident and happy — until she fell flat on her face.

Adrianne Drazin was on a long overseas flight with her baby and two young children. After she exited the plane, she noticed a family nearby waiting for something.

Getting haircuts was one of Jackson's biggest fears. But one barber's patience and creativity made the ordeal something he now looks forward to.

One afternoon in 2003, Susan Dickman was finishing her workday when she spotted six missed calls from the hospital. Her dad, who had recently been diagnosed with leukemia, was there for a biopsy.

When her mother was struggling with late-stage cancer, Julia had a conversation with a doctor that made her feel heard.

In 2013, John Kindschuh was admitted to a hospital in St. Louis with dizziness. His roommate alerted staff that his condition — later diagnosed as a massive stroke — was deteriorating.

Susan Haas was locked in a custody battle and desperately needed a haricut. One hairdresser's generosity gave her the boost she needed to keep going.

Barbara spent years trying to understand her son's difficult behavior. Then someone said something that made her realize that it was no one's fault.

Physician Abraham Verghese reflects on a defining moment in 1985, when one of his terminally ill patients reminded him to follow his dreams.

When Daniel Willingham's daughter ended up in the ICU, an unsung hero stepped up to help him get there.

Andy Davis honors his heart donor and her family, who gave him the gift of life during a time of intense grief.

It took a teacher to spot that Evelyn Flores didn't have any food. The hour that followed set the young student on a path to teaching.