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In the closing decade of the 80s, I was beginning a budget travel adventure to the European continent with a companion. Because my companion was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in New York, we had booked a fortnight visit there en route to London.

We reached the student accommodation, a sizeable ten-floor structure on the UWS named International House. Setting down our luggage, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, found a table, and began chatting with fellow residents.

Adjacent to my seat was an gentleman from Iraq pursuing an engineering degree at Columbia University. He inquired what I did, and I explained that I had newly finished with a degree in science and had been conducting research using an electron microscope.

He mentioned that there was an research lab at the institution – close to the engineering department, which was how he knew about it. He suggested that I ought to seek a role with them. I dismissed the idea, saying that I was about to fly to Europe and, more critically, I did not possess a US visa.

The following day I went out exploring, coming back to the dining hall that night. The man from Iraq came up to me and told me that he had set up a meeting for me with the director of the microscopy lab at Columbia. Since he had taken the effort, I attended the interview – but straight off informed my host that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.

In typical New York fashion – a city where everything seems achievable – she said: “That can be arranged. What's your start date?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.

I was employed there for 36 months. A perk of the job was that I was granted no-cost classes at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to earn a graduate degree in global studies.

I never saw that student again and I can't recall his full name, but his remarkable generosity changed my life in numerous aspects. I would never have had the confidence or self-belief to approach someone at an elite institution and request employment. Moreover, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.

Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a role in Europe where I met my wonderful partner, with whom I now have four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual redirected my path in life, and I’m eternally thankful.

Can you recall the Nicest Thing a Someone You Didn't Know Has Ever Done for You?

Whether it's brightening your mood to changing your life, we want to hear about random meetings that have stuck with you.

We invite you to tell us if you are of legal age, anonymously if you choose. The stories you tell are secure, and are intended for the purpose of this feature.