Editor’s note: We asked readers to submit letters about memorable acts of kindness they’ve witnessed or facilitated, in response to Jean Kwas’ suggestion in her July 13 letter. Here is a selection of your submissions. Read previously published submissions here.
I want to give a shout-out to the Chicago city Finance Department for accepting my explanation for two parking tickets I received in May and June while using the Park Chicago app.
I am an 82-year-old senior citizen and use Park Chicago often. When I received two tickets, I discovered that I had my license plate number incorrectly listed in the app, off by one number.
I called Park Chicago to find out what I could do. The person said to correct the error in the app, write a letter to the Finance Department explaining my error and include the tickets and documents to request a dismissal. I had paid for the parking.
I received two letters dismissing both tickets.
Thank you to the people of the Finance Department for their act of kindness, even though it was my error.
— David McKee, Chicago
Inspiring grace of children
The acts of kindness I will forever treasure are the ones my 10-year-old fifth grade students showed a classmate who was fighting cancer. Viktor joined our class about a month into the new school year. The principal and social worker shared with me the limitations he would have. These included no outdoor recess time, a nurse who would pull him from class to take blood, missed school days for doctor appointments and possible stints in the hospital. The goal was to give him as normal an experience as possible, given the circumstances.
Before Viktor joined the class, I told my students we would be getting a new student who wouldn’t be able to go outside for recess and might have to miss some school days. Right away, they offered support. They took it upon themselves to make a signup sheet for who would stay in from recess to play with Viktor. Every single student signed up. Others offered to deliver homework. They made colorful, supportive “Welcome Back” banners I hung on the board, and they made get well cards to be delivered to him when he was hospitalized.
My heart was full, and I had never been so proud of a class. The day the principal and social worker came to tell us Viktor had passed, my students surrounded me, and we hugged and cried together. Of the 22 classes I had, this one will forever stand out for the empathy and kindness these students showed.
— Ronda Schiess, Oak Park
Doctor’s kindness critical
I was in my mother‘s hospital room when she had a major heart attack. I pushed the call button, and soon the room was full of doctors, nurses, technicians and machinery. I knew that my mother had a do-not-resuscitate order and didn’t want any extraordinary measures taken, which I had to keep repeating to the medical personnel in the room with us.
One of the doctors said that he had to read me a list of actions and I had to refuse each one. It was painful, but I did it. Then he said I had to do it one more time. I must have looked stricken, because another of the doctors came up to me, put her arm around my shoulders and said, “You can do this. You’re honoring your mother’s wishes.”
I replied to the list again, this time with a strengthening arm around me. I have never forgotten her kindness.
— Nancy R. Engel, Evanston
Moving pros to the rescue
After a day teaching first grade at Northside Catholic Academy in the Edgewater neighborhood in Chicago in 1997, I was just getting off of the Edens Expressway at Dundee Road to my home in Northbrook. At the time, I was seven months pregnant with my first child, but you wouldn’t know it because I was wearing a very large pumpkin costume since we had just celebrated Halloween at school.
The entire way home, I noticed I was very low on gas, and as I sat at the red light at the corner of Dundee and Skokie Boulevard after having gotten off the highway, my car died and wouldn’t restart. Panicking, I noticed a large moving truck next to me, so while the light was still red, I got out of my car (in my giant pumpkin costume) and frantically waved the men down who were in the truck.
I was so grateful and relieved when they got out of their truck and pushed my car over to the northeast corner that at the time was a small gas station. I will never forget their kindness (I wish I could remember the name of the moving company) and how they rescued me from a very embarrassing situation. I’m sure they remember this, too; if you’re one of the movers who helped me, thank you so much for your kindness!
And lesson learned to never get that low on gas again.
— Diana O’Brien, Northbrook
Supported at every turn
Our son called home to me from the emergency room and told me, “Doctors advise Dad to have surgery right away.” I jumped into my car on the snowy winter evening and got totally stuck in the street-plowed snow piled at the end of our driveway. A quick explanation to our neighbor resulted in the father and his two sons coming right away, one jumping behind the wheel and the other two pushing the car to freedom in the street. I was overwhelmed with gratitude for their immediate response to my trouble.
My heart was racing as I walked into the hospital late that night, and I saw a most friendly, inviting smile on the face of the elderly hospital greeter sitting on a high stool. I quickly smiled, waved and walked past him. Then, no, I backtracked to the greeter and asked him if he had any idea of the instantly, totally calming effect to my mind and body his smile and greeting gave to me. This is where I needed to be!
Our adult granddaughter overheard the staff say, “This man is 83, has had a heart attack and now has a split bowel; he has a 23% chance of surviving this surgery.” She kept this to herself. The doctor told all of us of my husband’s need for surgery, seeking approval. My husband responded with great energy: “Oh, I would agree to this surgery; I want to be able to continue hiking national parks with our son.”
All night, our whole family fitfully dominated the surgical waiting room — waiting and wondering and hoping. Eight hours later, early in the morning, the doctor reassured me that this was definitely needed surgery and my husband should be fine. I thanked him over and over and said, “I’m going home now to sleep, but what about you?” He said, “Oh I have another surgery scheduled for 10:30 this morning! I’ll find a room and take a nap.” With both of us laughing now, I said, “He’s the one I need to pray for!”
— Barbara Duncan, Des Plaines
The essential gift of water
I witness and experience many acts of kindness, but one stuck out because of its unique quality.
Last summer, I moved downtown. I walk my dog very early in the morning and have always enjoyed the morning activities of the city, and I was acclimating myself to those of my new neighborhood. There was (and still is) a homeless man who sets up a tent about twilight in a plaza off a church. He usually is up and folding his tent and items when I walk my dog in the early morning. In the same area, there is a newspaper box that is empty. One morning, I saw someone opening the door to the box to put a bottle of water in it. I thought to myself, “How odd,” but my dog and I have seen a lot over the years.
Another morning, I observed the homeless man going to the news box to remove a bottle of water. He took some drinks from it and used the water to brush his teeth. Ah-ha!
Over time, I saw these actions (the donation of water and its use) repeated.
A simple bottle of water, a simple act of kindness.
— Clare Connor, Chicago
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.