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kindness of strangers

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Guests at a Finland Airbnb surprised the host when they saw he was alone on his birthday

This is what human connection is all about.

Photo credit: Canva

Sometimes the simplest gesture can mean the world.

Staying in an Airbnb can be an adventure, sometimes for the worse but often for the better. The Internet is full of both heartwarming and horrible experiences people have had renting spaces from strangers—or having strangers rent spaces from them—but the popular short-term rental platform is a poster child for the "sharing economy" and the human connections that can come along with it.

One example of how staying at a stranger's house can lead to a beautiful interaction comes from two young women who stayed at an Airbnb in Finland. Jessica Judith shared a video of her and her travel companion singing "Happy Birthday" to an elderly man over a cake filled with candles.

"Our Airbnb host was alone on his birthday," Jessica shared in the caption, "and God knew to put two women who care too much about birthdays to celebrate with him." The women clapped and sang, then hugged the man before he blew out his candles.

@jess.judith

Tarmo fue el mejor host que he tenido en airbnb, nos llevo a ver los reindeers y todos los dias nos esperaba en su casa con cafe y galletitas listas, te queremos mucho Tarmo! que honor poder celebrar tu cumpleaños contigo!! kiitos kaikesta


"Tarmo was the best host I ever had on airbnb," the caption reads. "He took us to watch the reindeers and every day he was waiting for us at his house with coffee and cookies ready. We love you so much Tarmo! What an honor to be able to celebrate your birthday with you!!! Kiitos kaikesta."

(Kiitos kaikesta means "thanks for everything" in Finnish.)

The video was viewed over 32 million times as people chimed in with positive feedback on the women's thoughtfulness.

"I learned some people host Airbnb because of loneliness not money. I had the sweetest host one time who was just lonely and wanted company. Y’all made his whole year."

"You guys just gave that man a core memory."

"My soul 😭 he is someone’s baby 😭 I know his late momma was smiling down. All I could see is the little boy in him here. 😭🤍🤎 you two did a beautiful thing that’ll he’ll never forget. 😭💕"

birthday, blow out candles, birthday cake, little boy, babiesHappy Birthday GIFGiphy

"As a mother , knowing he’s someone son and was once just a little boy thank you for being so kind 🩵 I hope if my son was every alone [on] a birthday then someone would show him such kindness as you."

"This is how we’re supposed to live as humans 🥹."

"This should be an airbnb commercial."

"This is literally what airbnb was created for btw to bring people together."

Even Airbnb commented with, "When the guests make the host feel hosted 🥹."

What we don't see in the video is how the women communicated with their host. He didn't speak any English and they didn't speak Finnish, so they used translation apps to talk to one another. In another video, Jessica shared a bit more about their sweet host.


@jess.judith

la experiencia mas bonita


"This is Tarmo," she wrote. "He was our Airbnb host in Finland. He lives alone with his dog Peppi and his daughter set up this Airbnb (little cottage next to his house) which he takes care of the cleaning. He always had the table set with coffee and pastries waiting for us. He doesn't speak English but we used a translator and would have amazing conversations. Everything was so special and at the end of our stay he said, 'I hope this is not the last time I see you in this lifetime.' Best Airbnb experience ever."

As a short-term rental host and someone who has stayed at countless Airbnbs while traveling, I can attest to the fact that some guest-host interactions are truly special. As a host, I once had a guest from China who insisted on cooking my family a 3-course Chinese meal from scratch. As a guest, I rented a home in Greece with my family where the owner's mother, who lived on the property, would bring us fresh-baked Greek pastries from the local bakery every other morning with the warmest smile and most gracious welcome. As both host and guest, my experiences have been overwhelmingly positive.

The sharing economy can be wonderful when people are open and welcoming to the experience of connecting with others, and Tarmo and his kind guests are a perfect example.

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Man gets stranger's baby to sleep on him during a flight in beautiful moment caught on video

People traveling with babies may not realize how much older parents actually want to help.

@allieseabock/Instagram

A kind stranger can make all the difference, especially when traveling with little ones.

Few things are more stressful for a parent of young children and babies than traveling on a plane with them, especially if you're alone. Keeping toddlers busy and happy for hours while stuck in an airplane seat is no easy task, nor is keeping a baby quiet and content when their ears are feeling the cabin pressure changes and they're out of their normal routine.

Throw in being pregnant on top of traveling with a baby and toddler alone and you have mom Allie Seabock's recent challenge. However, thanks to the kindness of strangers, what could have been a nightmare flight turned into a perfect example of good people being everywhere.

In a video captioned, "travel alone with kids and you will find who the truly amazing people are," Seabock showed her baby face down on a man's chest in a seat across the aisle. As he gently pats the baby's back, the wee one starts to close its eyes, drifting off into peaceful sleep.

"When you're a pregnant, tired mom traveling alone with a baby and toddler and a kind couple offers to take your fussy baby for the rest of the flight and manage to get him to sleep," the video reads.

There's so much to love about this video.

First of all, the couple noticed the mom having some struggles and offered to help. Many strangers might think about offering in a situation like this but don't because they worry about appearing creepy or overstepping bounds. But it never hurts to simply offer a helping hand. Even if someone doesn't accept, they will probably appreciate the thoughtfulness.

Secondly, Seabock did take them up on their offer. Some parents might feel hesitant in this situation, either concerned about safety or about being a burden. Everyone is strapped into seats on an airplane and the couple is in plain sight, so the safety concern is pretty low. It's not like someone can run off with the child at 30,000 feet. And as for being a burden, a lot of young parents might not realize this, but many older parents—perhaps most—eagerly want to hold babies. They're not just being polite; you're actually doing them a kindness in letting them take the baby for a bit so they can reminisce about holding their own children who are too grown to cradle anymore. It's truly a win-win, so if you feel like safety is taken care of and someone offers to hold your baby, take them up on the offer.

Third, what a great example to all of the people who witnessed this exchange, both on that flight and now on the internet. We all need reminders that humans can be kind and helpful, and simple interactions like this make a big difference in how we view the world. So often we see viral videos of bad behavior on airplanes, but in reality there are wonderful acts of kindness and compassion happening every day that we don't get to see.

People in the comments shared their own experiences with strangers holding babies and the relief it offers:

"I once held a stranger’s fussy toddler the entire train ride to Paris from London. It takes a village. ❤️"

"Love this video. People are amazing. When I moved overseas with a 3.5 months old who had colics and we were traveling for 24 hours (and before I get a mean comment, military orders, they would not let us stay in between flights in a hotel) I had the sweetest flight attendant help me when I was stressed out. Will never forget her encouraging words and her just sitting with me talking to me and holding my baby when I was very overwhelmed and tired."

"I was travelling cross country by plane with my 2 year old on a red eye flight. A young woman from India was sitting next to us. She offered to let my son put his feet in her lap so he could stretch out. Heaven sent."

"I was traveling alone with my baby once and the passenger next to me was so so sweet and made my baby laugh and be happy and I’ll never forget the kindness and relief it gave me. ❤️"

"We have a corporate plane for our work (not a private jet but like a 50 seater plane for business travel) and one coworker just had triplets! The whole plane was fighting over who got to help with baby duty. 😂"

And many people reiterated the fact that people really do want to help. Like please, by all means, let us hold your baby for you.

"My babies aren’t babies anymore. I’ll play airplane auntie to your baby any time! I miss baby snuggles."

"Oh I would cherish holding a baby - my girls are 11 and 7!"

"Y'know, just ONCE I wish that parents on the plane would hand over their babies to me. I have credentials and I'm a grandma-in-training!"

"This absolutely warms my heart❤️… it would be me offering too. Love babies and giving parents a needed break."

It can be hard to put your trust in a stranger, but there are few places safer to do that than on an airplane and few places where the need is greater. And if more of us offered and accepted such help, flights with babies might just be more pleasant and peaceful for all of us.

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A homeless man asked a college student for some tea, and a deluge of kindness followed

The unlikely pair spent the day getting to know each other, and now thousands of strangers are invested in Unc's well-being.

Sanai Graden/GoFundMe

Neither Sanai Graden nor her "Unc" knew what their meeting in a parking lot would lead to.

Every once in a while, a story of two strangers turns into a shared connection that touches millions. This is one of them. Sanai Graden is a 21-year-old college student living in Washington, D.C., who likes to vlog on TikTok while she does everyday things. As she was heading to the grocery store on a random day at the end of January 2024, she turned on her camera, and soon after, a man approached and asked her if she could help him get some hot tea.

Not money. Not even food. Just some simple, hot tea. Graden told the man she was going to Trader Joe's and he could go along with her and they could stop at Starbucks. As they walked and chatted, Graden learned the man was homeless, had no family and was suffering from prostate cancer. He has just gotten insurance, but it wouldn't kick in for 45 days and he needed a prescription filled.

Over the next four to five hours, Graden got him some tea, helped him get his prescription filled so he could get some relief from his pain and put him up in a hotel room for the night. By the end of the day, she was calling him "Unc," and he was calling her his "angel."

She left him with some cash and her phone number and then posted this video:

@hustlanani

Please help me help him !

At the end, she said she wanted to start a GoFundMe for Unc (whose real name is Alonzo), and she did just that.

"I'm just a college student, there's only so much I can do," she shared in another TIkTok. "I did the best I could. But that man, he was literally suffering, and it broke my heart…He was so kind…I just wanted to help him."

Her initial video started going viral—it currently has over 20 million views—and people started donated to the GoFundMe. When it reached $12,000 in a matter of hours, she called her parents to tell them about it. They told her she was exactly the right person to be helping this man because she will make sure the money is used to get him what he needs.

@hustlanani

Replying to @The JasmynYvette Thank you so much eve

Little did she know that that $12,000 would soon rise to $20,000, and then to $50,000, then $100,000 and more. As of the writing of this article, two days after the GoFundMe went up, it has jumped the $300,000 mark.

At this point, so many people are invested in Unc's well-being. Upwards of 20,000 people have donated, and the number just keeps rising. As one commenter put it, "He's everyone's Unc now."

Graden went to tell him the good news the next morning when the GoFundMe was around $150,000, but when she arrived at the hotel, he had already checked out. She searched everywhere she thought he might be, even renting a car to cover more ground more quickly, but she wasn't able to find him.

Finally, she shared a brief voice message he left for her that started, "Hey, Niece! It's your uncle," and ended with "I love you!" but he neglected to tell her where he was. After she looked around some more, he called again and and told her he was at church. She told him to wait right there.

She found him in front of a church and invited him to go get something to eat. She said she wanted to talk to him in private, but he was waiting with his aunt and couldn't leave just yet. Finally, she was able to sit with him in her car and tell him about what thousands of people were doing to help him live comfortably and more easily manage his cancer.

She had to convince him the money was his, not theirs together. He also said he hadn't finished writing her a letter he'd started.

@hustlanani

I know you’ve all been waiting on his reaction. I just made it home. Please enjoy it. Thank you everyone for coming together. This would not have been possible without the endless support. This is just the beginning of something great. I’m enternally grateful. God did that !!!

The first thing Graden did was take Alonzo to Target to get him his own phone and some new clothes of his choosing. He even had a little laugh with Graden when she asked him if he wanted to get some floss, forgetting that he doesn't have any teeth.

This story is still developing and there are obviously a lot of complex details to work out as they get Alonzo settled with however much money the GoFundMe ultimately raises. No one wants Alonzo to lose his health benefits, and there are various financial as well as mental and emotional elements to consider as they move forward. But the power of the kindness of strangers to change someone's circumstances, starting with just one caring soul, is certainly worth celebrating.

Follow @hustlanani on TikTok for updates on Unc.


This article originally appeared last year.

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A distraught boy couldn't find his dad. Then the entire crowd started chanting his name.

The chanting, the clapping, the song—this is what community looks like.

Photo credit: Canva

Sometimes a crowd can be a collective good.

As anyone with children can attest, losing your child in public is a terrifying experience for both a kid and parent. You could be at the zoo or a theme park and take just a few seconds to look at a map, scan the horizon for a bathroom sign, pay for a snack, or attend to another child, and suddenly the kid who had been right there by your side is nowhere to be seen. You frantically search the crowd, having no idea which way they might have gone, and worse case scenarios flash through your head.

Chances are, the child briefly got distracted or disoriented and then swallowed up in the moving crowd. It happens so fast, and it unfortunately, it usually takes far more time to find a kid than to lose them. Often, a kind stranger or two will step in to help, but in the case of one little boy who got separated from his dad in Argentina, and entire crowd stepped up and pitched in the best way to make sure they were reunited.

A video shows a man at a street fair holding a distraught boy on his shoulders. A voice on a microphone explains that the boy, Juan Cruz, is looking for his dad, Eduardo. Soon the people in the crowd start clapping in unison, chanting, "Eduardo! Eduardo!" Then the band starts singing an improvised song that translates as "Eduardo, come and find Juan Cruz," and it's a serious jam.

Watch:

Isn't it remarkable how a little goodwill and a little music can bring people together to solve a problem? According to several Argentinians in the comments, this practice of collectively helping a lost child is seen frequently at the beaches in Argentina—at least the chanting and clapping part.

"This is a common occurrence in Argentina. Mostly at beaches, every time a child would get lost, people around them would start chanting and clapping loudly so everyone can check on their children. If you are missing one you know it's yours lol."

"In Argentina everybody claps in this situation, it's an unwritten code and easier to sustain the search for longer time! Relatively normal in the beach, not that much in urban settings."

"This is the norm on Argentine beaches. Kids will get lost and someone will put the kid on their shoulders and the people around the kid will start clapping until the parent(s) show up."

People from all over celebrated the wholesome humanity of the video, praising the sense of community inherent in it.

"The funny celebratory chorus of Eduardo as they reunite is what humanity is about."

"So much love in the crowd to help the little boy find his Dad. I'm so glad they were reunited. 🩷"

"This is how it should be. Everyone should come together as a community for a lost child. I wish the world wasn’t so scary at times for kids and parents."

"Heartwarming and hilarious."

"People are mostly good."

Some also shared their stories of getting lost as a child or losing their own kid temporarily, illustrating how common an occurrence it is and how no one should judge if they haven't experienced it.

"When I was a young kid, my dad took me to some festival. He stopped at a vendor to buy me a cookie. He turned around for a second to pay the vendor, turned back, and I was gone. 30m later security found me because I had walked on stage with a band and started dancing."

"I insist to this day that I had permission to go look at the paintings 'over there' at an art festival when I was six. Family disappeared. I reasoned that they couldn't leave without the car, so I walked several city blocks and got bored waiting in the car for my frantic parents. They'd never imagined I'd head to the car."

"Best I could do was getting lost in a cemetery. I was gonna fill the watering can, went the wrong way and got lost. Looked for the exit but someone I asked for help send me in the wrong direction. Was found a couple minutes later, by my very upset mother."

They say it takes a village to raise a child, and in situations like this it could not be more true. (And if you find yourself bouncing along to the band's song, do a search for "Eduardo, Veni a Buscar a Juan Cruz" on Spotify. You won't be disappointed.)


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