‘Exhausted’ commuter offered elderly man seat — his one statement broke their heart

The person had a long day at work, but decided to be kind. They were surprised when they heard the old man's story.

PUBLISHED JUL 1, 2025

(L) A man standing on a bus with his work bag. (R) An old man sitting in a bus seat with a smile on his face. Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Sean Anthony Diddy; Andene Sanchez

A conversation and some kindness might mean more to a stranger than we know. A person on their way home on a bus had such an encounter with an old man. They were very tired after a long day at work, but decided to offer up their seat once an old man got on the bus. As the person stood there, the two of them started talking and they were surprised to know what was going on in the man's life, per a Reddit post by u/moamen12323.

People on a bus wearing masks. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Westend61

"I was coming back from work, exhausted and not in the mood for anything and I got on a very crowded bus," the person wrote. Fortunately, they found an empty seat and could sit down for a while. "An elderly man got on and he looked tired and was standing. Without thinking, I got up and gave him my seat." The man thanked them with a smile and started talking to the person. "He asked about my work and how life was going. We were talking normally and I felt like he was a kind and calm person. Suddenly, he said, 'I haven't spoken to anyone for four days, I just needed someone to listen to me.'"

Old man getting on a bus with a smile on his face. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Sean Anthony Eddy

The person was really surprised and couldn't say anything in response. However, they decided to talk and listen to the old man until he got off at his stop. "I realized how small gestures can make a big difference in someone’s day." They added, "Have you ever had a small moment like this that made your day different? Or made you change your perspective on something you thought was ordinary?" Many people shared their thoughts on the incident in the comments section of the thread and shared their own experiences with the internet.

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u/weetwoo4 wrote, "This is so sweet. I saw an older man resting on his walking aid in the supermarket yesterday and I was very hesitant to talk to him because I haven't fully mastered the language. But I figured it doesn’t hurt to just ask if he’s okay or needs help. He explained that he has asthma, so he was just taking a little rest and that he has an emergency button around his wrist just in case. Wished him a nice Easter and went on my way. Determined to do this again next time I’m in a similar situation. We’ve got to look out for each other, even in big cities where it’s easy to be anonymous."

u/rangelpinguin commented, "I once talked to an old lady nearing 100 years. She told me in no uncertain terms that she wanted to die. All her friends are dead. She’s living alone. Blind in one eye. Losing sight in the other eye. Losing grip strength due to gout. Having a hard time walking. Only living between her bed, her armchair and her toilet. Her mind was still super clear. She was funny, intelligent and witty. But she didn’t want to live anymore. That conversation did something to me and still sticks with me." u/Morvaros remarked, "I work in healthcare. Geriatric patients always get a little extra care from me since I know that I may be one of the few people they may talk to that day. My goal is to try and make them laugh at least once."