In a world that often moves too fast to notice a quiet cry for help, some people prove that kindness is never ordinary. These are the quiet heroes — everyday people who didn’t wear capes but still changed lives.

When I was six, I fixated on a Tweety Bird doll in a claw machine at a bar and grill. Before I knew it, a man — who looked like he’d fallen on hard times — won it in one try and handed it to me with a smile before walking away without a word.

Years later, six months pregnant in China, I broke down crying in a train station. An elderly woman, a stranger, gently touched my shoulder, pulled me into a warm hug, and smiled — exactly what I needed.

Once, I arrived at the airport one minute late for a critical flight. As I sat crying, an older man handed me twenty dollars and said, “If you get the next flight, have a hot breakfast on me.” Then he walked away. I’ll never forget it.