Stranger in Airport Needing Someone

In 2000, I was in the Tallahassee, Florida airport waiting to fly to Indiana to see my folks. My flight had been delayed and I was in a grumpy mood. I was restless and walking around when I heard this woman crying so hard she could barely sit up in the chair she was sitting in.
I looked around and did not see anyone with her. People were staring at her but no one was approaching her. This stranger was bent over wailing. It was clear her heart was breaking. My heart was breaking for her. I sat next to her and placed my arm around her, without looking at me she melted in my arms and continued to cry from the bottom of her soul.
I just sat there and held her firmly and didn’t say anything. There was nothing to say. I felt a little embarrassed at first because of people looking but that was quickly gone because her pain was so immense it took up all my energy. She cried for about ten minutes and then she began to subside. She looked up to see who was holding her.
She could barely speak but she got out the words, “My daughter’s husband was just killed in a car wreck. They were just married. Oh my God! He was just like a son.” Then she broke down again and leaned into me. I continued to hold her and I said a prayer to myself that she and her family could get through the loss. Shortly after that a man came up to us with a very stern expression on his face and took the crying stranger by the arm and instructed her to get up and go with him. She could barely get up. I helped him get her up. He took her arm and they walked away.
I sat there thinking about what had just happened. I thought about what if that had been me or someone I love. I felt good about being there for the stranger crying. It was the right, compassionate thing to do.

Submitted by Anonymous

Caring