Hungry, cold and alone, a woman’s life changed from a kind stranger’s invitation

This story is part of the My Unsung Hero series, from the Hidden Brain team. It features stories of people whose kindness left a lasting impression on someone else.

Today’s story comes from a woman named Karleen; we’re only using her first name to protect her privacy.

Many years ago, Karleen was physically attacked by her then-boyfriend. Terrified, she left their condo, sat down on the curb, and began to cry. When she tried to go back inside, he had locked the door.

Karleen returned to the curb, cold and wondering what to do. A few minutes later, a car passed by. The driver stopped and asked Karleen if she was okay. She responded that she was fine, but he could tell something was wrong.

“He invited me to come to his house to get warm and get something to eat,” Karleen remembered.

Karleen was hesitant to get in the car with the stranger, who she remembers introducing himself as Mark Shub. Shub noticed her apprehension and told her he didn’t live far away. He suggested that she walk alongside his car while he slowly drove home. Hungry and cold, Karleen agreed.

“When we got to his house, I stayed several steps behind while he walked up to the door, and when he opened it, he called for his wife,” Karleen said.

When Shub’s wife came out, the man introduced Karleen.

“She just turned to me and smiled [and] welcomed me like an old friend.”

As soon as Karleen entered the house, she was comforted by the smell of a home-cooked meal. It turned out that the man had invited her to his family’s Hanukkah dinner.

“So I watched them go through the ritual of lighting a candle and the prayer and then we sat down for the meal. And the family was just so warm and friendly that I felt safe and cared for.”

After dinner, Shub asked Karleen what her plan was. She had no clue what to do next. Shub asked for her parents’ phone number. He went into another room and called them. When he came back, he told Karleen that he would drive her to her parents’ house, which was about 60 miles away.

“During this period in my life, I was really on guard. And I expected that at some point on this trip home, I’d have to steel myself against some advances from this guy,” Karleen said. “But I was out of options. So I got in the car and he drove me home. A completely gracious, thoughtful, innocent drive home.”

When they arrived at her parents’ home, Shub gave Karleen his business card and told her to reach out if she ever needed anything. Soon, her parents came out. After saying hello, Karleen turned around to find Shub had already gone.

Karleen tried to call Shub a few times over the next year, but couldn’t reach him because the phone number was disconnected. She said she wishes she could’ve properly thanked him.

“There’s not a holiday season that goes by that I don’t think of him, and the unassuming compassion and generosity of Mark Shub and his lovely family.”

My Unsung Hero is also a podcast — new episodes are released every Tuesday. To share the story of your unsung hero with the Hidden Brain team, record a voice memo on your phone and send it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.