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During the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a friend. Since my friend was exploring starting a postgraduate program in NYC, we had arranged a two-week stay there en route to London.

We reached the postgrad residence, a big multi-story edifice on the Manhattan's Upper West Side called International House. Setting down our luggage, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, found a table, and engaged in conversation with other diners.

Adjacent to my seat was an gentleman from Iraq enrolled in an engineering program at an Ivy League institution. He wanted to know what I my profession was, and I explained that I had recently completed my studies with a science degree and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.

He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at Columbia University – adjacent to the school of engineering, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He proposed that I ought to seek a job with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, explaining that I was soon departing to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.

The following day I toured the city, returning to the canteen that after dark. The Iraqi student came up to me and let me know that he had set up a meeting for me with the head of the electron microscope unit at Columbia. Given that he had gone to the trouble, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately told my prospective employer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was unable to accept the role.

Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where everything seems achievable – she said: “We can make that happen. What's your start date?” I missed my plane to London.

I held that position for 36 months. A perk of the job was that I got free tuition at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a graduate degree in global studies.

I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his identity, but his remarkable generosity transformed my future in so many ways. I lacked the bravery or nerve to reach out at an Ivy League university and ask for a job. And, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that educational benefit.

Perhaps most importantly, that job in New York resulted in a role in Europe where I met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have a family of four kids. That encounter altered everything. That helpful person changed my trajectory in life, and I’m always appreciative.

What is the Kindest Gesture a Unknown Person Has Ever Done for You?

Whether it's brightening your mood to altering your path, we are interested in unexpected interactions that have left a lasting impression.

We invite you to tell us if you are of legal age, without revealing your identity if you wish. The stories you tell are confidential, and are intended for the purpose of this feature.