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During the closing decade of the 80s, I set out on a budget travel adventure to Europe with a friend. Since my travel mate was exploring enrolling in graduate studies in the Big Apple, we had arranged a 14-day stopover there before heading to London.

We arrived at the student accommodation, a big ten-floor structure on the UWS known as International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the dining hall, where we picked up meals, found a table, and engaged in conversation with people eating there.

Adjacent to my seat was an gentleman from Iraq studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I did for a living, and I shared that I had newly finished with a degree in science and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.

He mentioned that there was an microscopy facility at the institution – adjacent to the school of engineering, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He recommended that I should apply for a role with them. I dismissed the idea, explaining that I was about to fly to Europe and, even more importantly, I did not possess a US visa.

A day later I toured the city, coming back to the dining hall that night. The Iraqi student came up to me and told me that he had set up a meeting for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Since he had taken the effort, I attended the interview – but right away explained to my interviewer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.

Reflecting the city's spirit – a metropolis where opportunities abound – she said: “We'll handle it. How soon can you begin?” I didn't board the aircraft to London.

I was employed there for three years. A perk of the job was that I also received free tuition at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to finish a postgrad program in international relations.

We didn't cross paths after that and I don’t even know his full name, but his selfless gesture transformed my future in numerous aspects. I would never have had the confidence or self-belief to reach out at an prestigious college and ask for a job. Moreover, I had long dreamed to take classes in another country, but could never have afforded it without that educational benefit.

Critically, that role at the university paved the way for a role in Europe where I encountered my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have four amazing children. This was a pivotal life event. That kind stranger changed my trajectory in life, and I’m forever grateful.

What is the Most Generous Act a Stranger Has Once Performed for You?

Whether it's brightening your mood to transforming your future, we would love to know random meetings that have left a lasting impression.

Feel free to recount your experience if you are an adult, without revealing your identity if you wish. The stories you tell are protected, and will only be used the aim of this article.