On the darkest day of her life, two unsung heroes give Clarice a moment of respite : NPR

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 17-year-old girl named Clarice. We’re only using her first name to protect her privacy.

Three years ago, when Clarice was 14, she was admitted to a hospital during a mental health crisis. After she arrived, a series of medical staffers repeatedly asked her to explain why she was there and what she was feeling.

“I had to relive the worst day of my life what felt like hundreds of different times — all to different people — and all of them had different opinions. And they all felt the need to share those with me,” Clarice said.

After nearly 12 hours of questioning, it was time to be taken from the emergency department to the psychiatric ward. Two EMTs came and helped her onto a stretcher, then wheeled her into the ambulance. Clarice remembers their names as Hugh and either Alexis or Alexa.

“When they finally got me in the ambulance, they asked me what music I liked. And if you know me, you know that my answer was: Taylor Swift.”

Collectively, the group decided to put on Taylor Swift’s album Reputation. Clarice will never forget the rest of that drive.

“They didn’t make me talk about what had happened. Not that it was their job, but they could have. It didn’t feel like they were judging me. They just played Taylor Swift, and I sat in the back of the ambulance and cried. So that’s what really stood out to me and what makes them my unsung heroes. They were such a break, a relief during the worst time of my life.”

Clarice can’t remember if she thanked them. She imagines what it would be like to meet them again and tell them how much their kindness still matters.

“I don’t think there are really words to describe how much [they] helped me,” Clarice said. “These two people continue to impact my life every day because whenever I think back to that time, that day, specifically, I also always think about that ambulance ride. And how, in such a terrible, dark place in my life, there was a little bit of light.”

Clarice is now 17. She will graduate from high school next spring and is looking forward to attending college. 

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.