JUANA SUMMERS, 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. Heather Church will never forget the day many years ago when she walked into a busy clothing store in New York City.
HEATHER CHURCH: When I went in there, I went down to the lower level, taking the stairs and wearing a very long skirt and a pair of boots. My skirt got caught on my boot. And it threw off my balance and I felt my hand reach for the railing and miss it. And my body twisted as my boot tugged on my skirt. And suddenly, I was falling down the stairs backwards. And then I heard steps - stomps, in fact - moving quickly towards me. And someone caught me.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
CHURCH: My head didn't hit those hard stairs, and I didn't suffer any injuries. And I don't know who that person is. That is my unsung hero. I don't know who they were, and I was so flustered at the time, I can't even remember their face. But I do remember what they did for me that day, and I remain grateful. Thank you.
SUMMERS: Heather Church lives in New York City. She says she hopes that stranger at the store might hear this story and understand how much their actions continue to impact her all these years later. You can find more stories from My Unsung Hero wherever you get your podcasts. And to share the story of your unsung hero, record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.