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How a stranger taught a man it's okay to accept help

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

Time now for "My Unsung Hero," our series from the team at Hidden Brain. "My Unsung Hero" tells the stories of people whose kindness left a lasting impression on someone else. And today's story comes from Brian Perkins. A few years ago, Perkins started using a cane to walk.

BRIAN PERKINS: Now, the thing about walking with a cane is that you've only got one hand to carry stuff. And so this was just post-pandemic. I had dropped off a bunch of clothes at the dry cleaners to get done, and I had just gone back to pick them up. And I was standing at the counter with my cane, and I was paying and clearly had more than I could carry in one hand out.

And this woman, she was sitting by the laundromat and looked at me, and she said, do you need any help? And I said, no, no, I've got it. I've got it. And so I hobbled out to my truck and was just getting through putting it in the back seat when I turned around and I looked, and there she was, marching out of the dry cleaners with the rest of my laundry in her hands.

And she put it in the truck, and she looked at me, and she said, I know you. You've been helping people all your life. Now it's your turn. Accept it. And just like that, she walked away. Now to be clear, I didn't know this woman. I had never met her, and I'd never seen before. But her words had a ripple effect on my life.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

PERKINS: I learned that it was OK to accept help. And so over the years, and it's been a few years, I've gone from being grateful to my one unsung hero to having a whole chorus of unsung heroes who've helped me in many little ways and made a difference in my life - and learned that people like to help other people and that kindness is not something that's forgotten. And for that, I'll be eternally grateful.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

SHAPIRO: Brian Perkins of Biddeford, Maine.

You can find more stories of unsung heroes at hiddenbrain.org.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.