My wife and I were driving home late one night after a small gathering when our car suddenly shut off on a long, empty stretch of road. It was past 2 AM, and the silence around us felt heavier with every passing minute. This happened long before the days of mobile phones, so all we could do was wait and hope someone would pass by. After nearly an hour, headlights appeared behind us, and a young man pulled over to ask if we needed help.
He introduced himself as a college student heading back to town. Without hesitation, he drove us to the nearest service station. We tried to offer him money, but he simply smiled and said, “I’m just glad I was here at the right time.” Years later, my wife called me sounding shaken. She told me to turn on the news, and when I did, I saw a report about a man involved in several roadside robberies across different towns.
What startled us wasn’t the story itself but the resemblance. The description, the age, even the car model—they all matched the young man who once helped us that night. The news report explained that the man had a long history of troubled behavior and had been involved in several incidents targeting drivers in isolated areas. He wasn’t portrayed as dangerous, but rather as someone who had taken a difficult path in life and repeatedly made harmful choices.
Authorities believed he often approached people under the guise of offering help, using the moment to take advantage of the situation. To this day, we don’t know why he treated us differently. Maybe the circumstances didn’t allow for anything else. Maybe helping us was a rare moment of sincerity from someone struggling with inner conflicts. Whatever the reason, that night remains a reminder that encounters with strangers can shape our lives in unexpected ways.