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.
In August 2014, Ian Sandler's 9-year-old daughter, Riley Sandler, went to a sleepaway camp for the summer. Early one morning, at around 1:30 a.m., the family got a call from the camp.
"The voice on the other end was saying that Riley had collapsed, and they were telling me that they were taking her to a hospital and I needed to get there right away," Sandler remembered.
Sandler and his family lived in New York City. The hospital where Riley was being transported was in upstate New York, hours away. He was too shaken up to drive, so Sandler booked an Uber. He put in an address that was in the general direction of where he needed to go. When the driver arrived, Sandler explained the situation.
"I just started blurting out: 'My daughter [is] going to the hospital. It [is] gonna be a long drive. Would you help me?' And I still remember how kind this man was. He said: 'I have three children of my own — get in.' And we drove."
It was comforting that the driver could empathize with Sandler's situation. He felt a calmness wash over him — a feeling that was soon interrupted by another phone call about Riley. She was going to be moved to a different hospital, even farther away.
"I [turned] to the driver and I said, 'We're gonna be going further north.' And he didn't miss a beat. We drove for [another] three and a half hours."
When they arrived at the hospital, Sandler tried to give the driver money. But the man refused to take it.
"I remember trying to tip him, do something. He wouldn't take a dime. He just knew this was the worst thing that could ever happen to a parent."
Devastatingly, Sandler was too late. Riley had already passed away from a rare condition that blocked her airway, preventing oxygen from getting to her lungs.
That night was one of the most difficult experiences Sandler has ever endured. Yet he still thinks about the Uber driver who got him to the hospital, and Sandler has a message for him.
"You had no reason to take care of me in the way you did. But I will tell you that 10 years afterwards, I still am so incredibly grateful for your kindness and for bringing me to my daughter that night. [That] was one of the kindest, sweetest things anyone's ever done [for me]."
Sandler is now a co-founder of Riley's Way — a foundation that provides coaching and mentorship to young people, in honor of his daughter, Riley Hannah Sandler.
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.
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