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In the closing decade of the 80s, I was beginning a backpacking trip to Europe with a travel partner. Because my travel mate was considering pursuing a master’s degree in New York, we had booked a 14-day stopover there on the way to London.

We reached the graduate housing, a sizeable 10-storey building on the UWS known as International House. After dropping our bags, we made our way to the canteen, where we grabbed food, sat down, and engaged in conversation with other diners.

Sitting next to me was an Iraqi man studying engineering at an Ivy League institution. He asked me what I did, and I shared that I had recently completed my studies with a degree in science and had been working on studies with electron microscopy.

He pointed out that there was an electron microscope unit at the university – close to the engineering faculty, which was the reason he was familiar with it. He recommended that I consider applying for a job with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, explaining that I was soon departing to Europe and, even more importantly, I lacked a US visa.

The following day I toured the city, going back to the cafeteria that after dark. The Iraqi student came up to me and informed me that he had arranged an interview for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Given that he had taken the effort, I went to the meeting – but right away told my interviewer that I didn’t have a visa, so I was probably wasting her time.

Reflecting the city's spirit – a place where opportunities abound – she declared: “That can be arranged. What's your start date?” I missed my plane to London.

I worked there for 36 months. A perk of the job was that I was granted no-cost classes at Columbia, and I seized the chance to finish a postgrad program in international relations.

I never saw that student again and I am unaware of his full name, but his selfless gesture altered my destiny in so many ways. I didn't possess the bravery or self-belief to approach someone at an elite institution and request employment. Moreover, I had long dreamed to study abroad, but wouldn't have been able to pay for it without that free tuition.

Perhaps most importantly, that role at the university paved the way for a position in Switzerland where I met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have four wonderful sons and daughters. It was a total sliding doors moment. That kind stranger redirected my path in life, and I’m always appreciative.

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

From cheering you up to changing your life, we are interested in chance encounters that have stuck with you.

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