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During the final years of the 1980s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip to Europe with a companion. Because my friend was interested in starting a postgraduate program in the Big Apple, we had arranged a fortnight visit there before heading to London.

We got to the graduate housing, a sizeable ten-floor structure on the UWS named International House. Once we unpacked, we went directly to the cafeteria, where we picked up meals, sat down, and engaged in conversation with fellow residents.

Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at a prestigious New York university. He wanted to know what I my profession was, and I shared that I had recently completed my studies with a science degree and had been conducting research using an electron microscope.

He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the university – close to the school of engineering, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He suggested that I ought to seek a position with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, even more importantly, I didn’t have a US visa.

The following day I went out exploring, going back to the cafeteria that evening. The Iraqi student approached me and let me know that he had arranged an interview for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Given that he had taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but right away informed my interviewer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was probably wasting her time.

In typical New York fashion – a place where anything feels possible – she declared: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I missed my plane to London.

I worked there for three years. A perk of the job was that I also received no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to finish a master’s of international affairs.

I never saw that student again and I don’t even know his name, but his incredible act of kindness changed my life in numerous aspects. I would never have had the bravery or nerve to approach someone at an elite institution and request employment. Additionally, I had always wanted to take classes in another country, but lacked the financial means without that free tuition.

Perhaps most importantly, that role at the university resulted in a position in Switzerland where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I currently share a family of four kids. This was a pivotal life event. That helpful person changed my trajectory in life, and I’m always appreciative.

Can you recall the Most Generous Act a Someone You Didn't Know Has Ever Done for You?

From making your day to changing your life, we want to hear about 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 prefer. The stories you tell are confidential, and are solely for the aim of this article.