My Unsung Hero
by Hidden Brain
Latest episode
Producer Picks: Caitlin Shetterly's Story
Producer Picks: Caitlin Shetterly's Story
About this podcast
The daily news can fill us with despair. My Unsung Hero is an antidote to that despair. Each episode reveals what the news ignores: everyday acts of kindness and courage that transformed someone's life. Listen — and renew your faith in humanity. From Hidden Brain Media.
Episodes
The newest 50 of 290 episodes
- Producer Picks: Caitlin Shetterly's Story · 4 minAll through the month of October, we’re bringing you some of the stories that have deeply resonated with us over the past five years. This week: When Caitlin confessed her fear…
- Producer Picks: Lila Hoffa's Story · 4 minAll through the month of October, we’re bringing you some of the stories that have deeply resonated with us over the past five years. This week: Lila struggled to express herself…
- Producer Picks: Brad Larsen's Story · 4 minAll through the month of October, we’re bringing you some of the stories that have deeply resonated with us over the past five years. This week: Four years after his mother's…
- Producer Picks: Eric Johnson's Story · 4 minAll through the month of October, we’re bringing you some of the stories that have deeply resonated with us over the past five years. This week: A few years ago, Eric's husband…
- Producer Picks: Jennifer's Story · 6 minAll through the month of October, we’re bringing you some of the stories that have deeply resonated with us over the past five years. This week: When a group of girls were…
- Rika Matsuda's Story · 5 minWhen Rika was seven, she crashed her bicycle at a park. A stranger stopped to help and made her an origami crane while they waited for her grandfather. Years later, she…
- Reed Norwood's Story · 4 minAt 16, Reed Norwood was trapped in a burning truck after a crash. A passing trucker stopped and saved his life.
- Teyu Chou's Story · 4 minWhen Teyu immigrated to the U.S. at 11, he spoke no English and felt isolated at school. A fellow student patiently helped him learn the language — and feel less alone.
- Gary Knight's Story · 4 minAfter Gary was badly injured in a cycling accident, three passing motorcyclists stopped to help.
- Tracy Zito's Story · 3 minOne morning at the beach, Tracy watched in horror as her young son was swept away by a powerful current. As she struggled to get him back to shore, a stranger came to their rescue.
- Kate Rogan's Story · 4 minKate was flying home for her mother's funeral when her connecting flight was canceled. As she sobbed on the plane, a fellow passenger put a hand on her shoulder and offered to…
- Jake Berry's Story · 5 minWhen Jake learned that one of his oldest friends had been rushed to the hospital, he was stuck at college with no way home. Then two people he barely knew drove him more than an…
- Ashleigh Bell Pedersen's Story · 4 minAt the beginning of the pandemic, Ashleigh was diagnosed with cancer. Because of social distancing, she found herself missing the comfort of a hug. But one day, at the end of a…
- Annabelle Gurwitch's Story · 5 minAfter Annabelle was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, a volunteer living with the same diagnosis offered advice that changed the way she saw the future.
- John Moe's Story · 6 minJohn was languishing at his job when a woman in HR reminded him of his potential. A favorite from 2022.
- Susan Greenstein Prescott's Story · 4 minIn high school, Susan had a stutter, and was embarrassed to speak in front of her class. Then her 12th grade English teacher told her something that changed how she saw herself.
- Solitaire Miles' Story · 5 minWhen Solitaire was 18, she had a stroke. When she got to the hospital, doctors and nurses accused her of being on drugs. Then, her unsung hero arrived, and ensured she got the…
- Jennifer Novak's Story · 5 minDuring her freshman year of college, Jennifer felt like the world was collapsing around her. One particularly bad day, a stranger stepped in and gave her hope for the future.
- Lia Eastep's Story · 4 minDuring a family trip to New York City, Lia's father lost his balance on a crowded subway. The stranger who caught him became a role model for how she hopes to respond when others…
- Stephen Parker's Story · 4 minIn high school, Stephen had a romantic relationship with another boy. He didn't consider himself to be gay, but when he moved away to college, the loss of the relationship…
- Rebecca Simonitsch's Story · 5 minAfter learning she was a candidate for brain surgery, Rebecca boarded a flight home overwhelmed. The stranger beside her turned out to be exactly the person she needed.
- Missy Nicholson's Story · 5 minAfter becoming a mom, Missy sough inpatient treatment for depression. It was a vulnerable experience, and she found it difficult to engage in group therapy. But when she did…
- Mike Lopes' Story · 4 minMike's wife was dying after years of cancer treatment, and she could no longer recognize the people around her. Then her longtime chemotherapy nurse arrived.
- Darrell Barber's Story · 4 minDarrell grew up in an Army family. They moved regularly, which meant he was often lonely and a target of bullying. In the sixth grade, at yet another new school, an eighth grader…
- Pat Gentile's Story · 4 minAfter chemotherapy left Pat without hair, she relied on a wig to feel like herself. The first day she went without it, a stranger in a convenience store gave her a compliment…
- Barb Barnes' Story · 4 minAfter having open heart surgery, Barb was terrified of the immense pain she'd likely have to endure during her recovery. Then a nurse stepped in to help, and changed the rest of…
- Bethany Renfree's Story · 4 minThis week, a favorite episode from the archives: Bethany was feeling overwhelmed as a single mom with three small children. But one small act of kindness by a neighbor let her…
- Rebecca Stuhlmiller's Story · 4 minMore than forty years ago, at a stoplight in a new city, Rebecca sat crying. She felt trapped in a relationship she didn’t know how to leave. Then, a stranger in a neighboring…
- Everett Miller's Story · 4 minAt 15, Everett was about to steal a shirt at the mall when a girl saw him and whispered, “It’s not worth it.” He stopped, and decades later, he still thinks about that moment.
- Jay's Story · 5 minAfter making a series of unfortunate choices, Jay found himself sitting in a jail cell, alone and hopeless. But a fellow inmate's words brought him comfort, and changed the…
- John's Story · 5 minA few years ago, John’s daughter developed a sudden illness, later discovered to be a condition known as PANDAS, and for months she could barely leave the house. On the first…
- Holly Deiaco-Smith's Story · 4 minAfter a few weeks of studying abroad in France, Holly felt overwhelmed and homesick. But an encounter with a stranger at the post office changed everything, and led to a…
- Dan Roche's Story · 4 minDan was born with a cataract that left him mostly blind in one eye. As a kid, he was painfully self-conscious about it. At baseball practice one day, his coach noticed he was…
- Ana Maria Cuenca's Story · 5 minIn the 1990s, Ana Maria's father drove a taxi in Miami. One repeat passenger had a ritual: at the end of every ride, he’d give her father $20 for Ana Maria to “buy something…
- Julie Labes' Story · 4 minAfter waiting in the ER for what felt like hours, Julie wondered if she was ever going to get the help she needed. Then, just as her pain became unbearable, a stranger stepped up…
- Jean Muenchrath's Story · 4 minAfter Jean was badly injured in a mountaineering accident, she had to hike through treacherous conditions to get to the trailhead. By the time she arrived, her condition was…
- Olivia Joffrey's Story · 4 minWhen Olivia was in sixth grade, her teacher planned a Father’s Day softball game for students and their dads. But Olivia's father had recently been moved into a hospital with a…
- Barbara Alvarez's Story · 5 minTwo months before their daughter started college, Barbara's husband unexpectedly died. On the day Barbara moved her daughter into her dorm, she was hit hard by the realization…
- Kristi Reeves' Story · 5 minOn the day her divorce was finalized, Kristi set out alone on a mountain hike. When she broke down on the trail, a stranger asked if she needed a hug — and helped her find the…
- Joann Moschella's Story · 4 minAfter a car clipped her bike in San Francisco, Joann suddenly found herself laid out on the asphalt. But a kind and whimsical hero stopped to help her get back on her feet.
- Larry Maxfield's Story · 5 minIn 2007, Larry helped his brother Marty move to Utah. Marty had terminal cancer, and he and his wife wanted to be near family in the final days of his life. When they arrived…
- Never Give Up (A Bonus from StoryCorps) · 17 minToday, we bring you a bonus episode from the team at StoryCorps, whose mission is record, preserve, and share the stories of Americans from all backgrounds and beliefs. We'll…
- Connie Sherburne's Story · 4 minAfter her husband died, Connie received unexpected advice from an insurance agent: when people offer help, "let them."
- Tom Sinclair's Story · 4 minAt age 6, Tom wandered away from his family’s campsite and spent a cold night alone on the Lake Superior shoreline. A stranger walked through the dark to find him and carried him…
- John Kindschuh's Story · 5 minA favorite from 2023: John remembers the quick thinking of his hospital roommate, who called for help when John’s speech began to slur, and may have saved his life.
- Natalie Cook's Story · 4 minAt a neighborhood park, a young boy noticed Natalie's young foster daughter using a walker. His reaction left her with an unexpected feeling of hope for the future.
- Mary Klein's Story · 4 minA Christmas Eve drive in a new town left Mary lost and alone — until a couple pulled over to help. What they did next turned her loneliest holiday into a poignant memory.
- Stephanie Cole's Story · 4 minWhen Stephanie got overwhelmed on the first day of her very first job, a customer shared some kind words.
- Gillian Kline's Story · 5 minShortly after being diagnosed with breast cancer, Gillian realized she had a day left to choose a health plan that could make or break her treatment. She reached out to her…
- Emily Vinson's Story · 4 minOn the first day of her new job, Emily fainted. Then a customer came to her aid.
