In this episode of the Hidden Brain series "My Unsung Hero," host Shankar Vedantam introduces a listener‑submitted story from Terri Powers of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Terri recounts the days surrounding her mother DeRay’s death in late 2018. While coping with numbness and grief, she goes to a grocery store for necessities. After a brief exchange with the cashier, a young employee who bagged her groceries notices her distress and asks, "Can I give you a hug?" Terri accepts, and the hug provides a profound sense of comfort and healing that she remembers vividly. She reflects on the worker’s empathy, describing the hug as the most beautiful expression of caring she has received in a long time, and she wishes she could thank him directly. The host highlights the lesson Terri’s mother taught her—when someone is ill, ask how the caregiver is—underscoring the importance of acknowledging caregivers. The episode concludes with a reminder to subscribe to the "My Unsung Hero" series for more stories of ordinary people making a big difference. Interspersed throughout are sponsor ad reads (Liberty Mutual, Principal, LinkedIn, Pandora, Angie, Morgan & Morgan, SimpliSafe) that fund the podcast.
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Hi, Shankar.
I would like to talk about my heroes. My unsung hero is the man in the Panama hat on the flight to Boston. As the plane neared touchdown—
And if I could—
If I could see them today, I really wish I could thank them. I have a feeling that they have no idea how much they did for me.
Today's story comes from Terri Powers. In 2018, just before Christmas, Terri lost her mom, DeRay. She was 72. A few days later, Terri went to the grocery store to pick up a few things.
And I was, of course, feeling Lots of emotions, but there was this numbness that prevailed over everything just so I could get through the day and take care of the tasks I needed to take care of. So I go to the checkout and the cashier greets me with, how are you? And I just couldn't say Fine or good, and brush it off like that. I just felt I needed to say, "You know what? I'm not doing great. My mother just passed away," and she responded, expressed her sympathy, and we finished up the transaction. So I turned to get my bag to leave, and the young man who had bagged my groceries looked me right in the eye and said. Can I give you a hug? And so I said yes, and we hugged, and that was it. Just a hug. But it wasn't just a hug. This man stood there and observed and listened and then reacted and gave the one thing that Is the most beautiful expression of, of comfort and caring that you can give another person. And it was the most healing hug I think I've received in a long time. And it made such a difference for me that day. And I think about him often. And what a warm and giving and empathetic person he is. And I want to tell him thank you so, so very much for making a difference for me that day with that one simple, powerful gesture. Thank you.
Terri Powers of Fredericksburg, Virginia. She tells us that one of the lessons her mom taught her is that when someone is very ill, don't just ask how the sick person is, ask how the caregiver is. For more stories like Terri's, be sure to listen to our new podcast, My Unsung Hero. We publish new episodes every Thursday. I'm Shankar Vedantam. See you next week.
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