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In the late 1980s, I was embarking on a backpacking trip to Europe with a companion. Because my friend was considering starting a postgraduate program in New York, we had arranged a fortnight visit there en route to London.

We arrived at the graduate housing, a big ten-floor structure on the Manhattan's Upper West Side known as International House. Setting down our luggage, we made our way to the cafeteria, where we grabbed food, found a table, and began chatting with other diners.

Adjacent to my seat was an Iraqi man enrolled in an engineering program at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I did for a living, and I shared that I had just graduated with a science degree and had been performing experiments with electron microscopy.

He noted that there was an electron microscope unit at the university – adjacent to the engineering department, which was how he knew about it. He suggested that I should apply for a role with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, explaining that I was soon departing to Europe and, more critically, I did not possess a US visa.

The following day I went out exploring, going back to the cafeteria that night. The Iraqi student walked over to me and informed me that he had set up a meeting for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Because he had taken the effort, I showed up for the discussion – but immediately told my host that I was without a work permit, so I was unable to accept the role.

In typical New York fashion – a place where everything seems achievable – she responded: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I missed my plane to London.

I held that position for 36 months. One of the benefits was that I got free tuition at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to finish a master’s of international affairs.

I lost touch with him and I am unaware of his full name, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in multiple respects. I didn't possess the courage or self-assurance to reach out at an Ivy League university and request employment. And, I had consistently hoped to take classes in another country, but lacked the financial means without that educational benefit.

Perhaps most importantly, that gig at Columbia paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I got to know my wonderful partner, with whom I am raising four wonderful sons and daughters. That encounter altered everything. That benevolent individual redirected my path in life, and I’m forever grateful.

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

From brightening your mood to changing your life, we are interested in unexpected interactions that have left a lasting impression.

Feel free to recount your experience if you are 18 or over, keeping your details private if you choose. What you share are protected, and are solely for the aim of this article.