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In the late 1980s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a companion. Because my companion was interested in pursuing a master’s degree in NYC, we had booked a 14-day stopover there en route to London.

We arrived at the student accommodation, a sizeable 10-storey building on the Upper West Side known as International House. Setting down our luggage, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we got some food, found a table, and engaged in conversation with other diners.

Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He asked me what I my profession was, and I shared that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been working on studies involving microscopic analysis.

He noted that there was an research lab at the institution – close to the school of engineering, which was why he was aware of it. He suggested that I should apply for a position with them. I laughed it off, explaining that I was about to fly to Europe and, even more importantly, I did not possess a US visa.

The next day I toured the city, returning to the canteen that after dark. The engineering student came up to me and let me know that he had set up a meeting for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Given that he had gone to the trouble, I attended the interview – but straight off told my prospective employer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.

In typical New York fashion – a city where everything seems achievable – she declared: “That can be arranged. How soon can you begin?” I never got on that flight to London.

I held that position for a trio of years. One of the benefits was that I got no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to finish a master’s of international affairs.

I lost touch with him and I don’t even know his name, but his incredible act of kindness altered my destiny in so many ways. I would never have had the bravery or self-assurance to reach out at an prestigious college and seek a position. Additionally, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but could never have afforded it without that free tuition.

Critically, that role at the university led me to a job in Zurich where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share four amazing children. That encounter altered everything. That helpful person redirected my path in life, and I’m forever grateful.

Can you recall the Nicest Thing a Unknown Person Has Ever Done for You?

From making your day to transforming your future, we are interested in unexpected interactions that have remained in your memory.

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