'Ask for Anything' Millionaire Finds Lady Who Saved Him When He Fell on Rail Track 31 Years Ago - Story of the Day

Keaton was a little boy 31 years ago when a woman saved his life after he fell on the train tracks. After becoming a millionaire, he decided to find her and return her kindness. With so many decades gone by since the fateful day, would he succeed in his endeavor?

The subway was crowded, and a wave of humanity gently pushed Keaton and his mother, Pauline, forward while they awaited the train at the platform. "Keaton, hun, are you OK?" Pauline asked anxiously, clutching her cane in one hand and Keaton's gentle palms in another.

"Yes, Mommy!" Keaton's soft voice assured Pauline's worried heart, and she sighed.

"Don't leave Mommy's hand, OK, hun?" Pauline told Keaton. "The train will be here soon."

Pauline was sure she had Keaton's hand in hers. She didn't realize she had left his hand for a fraction of a second and grabbed someone else's until she heard a voice tell her.

"I'm sorry," she apologized gently. "Keaton, hun, are you there?"

"MOMMY! Mommy, please help me!" Pauline's heart sank as she heard Keaton scream, followed by a loud gasp.

"Save that boy! He's on the tracks! Oh no, the train! That lady is going to die!" shouted some voices.

"Keaton! Keaton!" Pauline rushed forward, throwing her hands in the air when someone pulled her back and stopped her. She was terrified as she heard the train approaching. "My boy! Please save him!" she cried.

"Ma'am, relax! A woman… she's jumped on the tracks!" a voice assured her.

Pauline relaxed slightly, her heart still racing fast, and just a moment later, when she heard the sound of the train's passing, the person holding her said, "That woman saved him. Your boy is safe, ma'am."

The woman, Miriam, brought Keaton to Pauline, who bawled her eyes out like her son. Pauline was blind and couldn't see when her son lost balance and fell onto the tracks. She threw her hands around in an attempt to grope him when she heard his scream, but it was all for naught. Right then, Miriam jumped on the tracks and managed to save Keaton.

"Oh, honey," Pauline cried, hugging Keaton close. "You saved him! Thank… thank you!" she told Miriam.

Unfortunately, Pauline couldn't see Miriam's face, but her gentle voice stayed with her. "It's all right. I'm glad I could assist. But are you OK?" Miriam had asked.

Nobody in this world is a stranger. We're all connected by bonds of humanity.

Pauline nodded and thanked her again. She was relieved that her son was safe, but the incident had left her traumatized, and she could never dare to ride the subway again.

Keaton was so terrified that day that he had no recollection of what had happened. Pauline never reminded him either, as it sent chills down her spine just to think about what could have happened if Miriam had been two seconds late.

If Miriam had not acted quickly, Keaton would be dead, and Pauline would never forgive herself. However, explaining this to the lad was difficult. Pauline stopped leaving him alone and never took the subway again. As a teen, Keaton hated her for that.

"You might hate me for it, Keaton, but any hate is better than what I feel when you're not around me," she said one day. "Sorry, hun, but I can't leave you alone again. Things would be different if I could see."

"You sound ridiculous, Mom! I hope you know that!" Keaton lashed out at her.

With tears in her eyes, all Pauline could say was, "Sorry."

Years passed. Keaton graduated from high school, and it was time for him to join a college in a different state. Pauline was freaking out, to say the least.

"You know, honey, maybe I could join you there?" she suggested. "I'm going to be all alone here, anyway."

"Mom, please!" Keaton said. "Let me live my life! I'm not a kid anymore, alright? How long are you gonna be after me like this? Come on, Mom, enough is enough!"

"But…"

"Hey, Mom," Keaton said, holding her hands in his. "I'm gonna be OK, alright? Don't worry. Things are gonna be fine, and I'll be in touch. And I promise I'll get your eyes treated when I get a job, alright? I will try my best to make everything perfect for us, Mom."

Pauline nodded, though her heart wasn't convinced. Oh, how badly she wanted time to halt and Keaton to stay with her. But life needs to go on, and Pauline consoled her heart by telling her that everything would be fine, that Keaton would be fine.

Fortunately, Keaton's college years flew by faster than Pauline had anticipated, and instead of taking a desk job, Keaton launched his own firm. He started the business in his hometown, near Pauline, but it grew twice as fast as he and his team had anticipated in the next three years, and they soon had a central office in New York, where Keaton relocated permanently.

Pauline comforted herself once more and let him go. He was an adult now, and she couldn't be around him all the time.

Besides, her son was a millionaire, and he had far more important things on his mind than his elderly mother, who was becoming frailer and weaker with time.

Pauline was still grateful that Keaton at least never stopped calling her and checking on her once in a while. And every year, on Christmas and New Year, he would send her postcards and gifts.

One year, just weeks before Christmas, Keaton called her and told her he was coming home.

"Remember the promise I had made, Mom?" he said. "Let's get you treated. I spoke to a few doctors here, and there's hope you'll be able to see… Isn't that brilliant?"

"You're coming home, son?" she asked again. "Oh, honey, it's been so long since I had you here. The neighbors have been very kind to help me around. They'll all be happy to see you!"

"Sure, Mom!" Keaton laughed. "I think I'll be there by this Sunday. See you, Mom. I missed you."

"I missed you, too, baby."

***

On the day of Keaton's arrival…

Keaton exited the airport and took an Uber to Pauline's house, a small smile on his lips. His hometown, where he had spent his childhood, had changed little except for a thick blanket of ice covering the entire city. He blew on the car window like a child and drew a heart on the fogged glass.

"The city looks fantastic at this time of the year, doesn't it?" the Uber driver asked, looking into the rearview mirror, and Keaton nodded.

"Amazing," he said. "It looks amazing!"

When Keaton arrived at Pauline's house, a strong aroma of homemade delicacies hit his nose, and all those childhood memories flooded his mind.

"MOM!" he yelled as he walked in, and Pauline, who was sitting on the couch, turned at his voice and grinned.

"Honey, you're here!"

"I missed you, Mom," he said, hugging her, and she could only hug his waist. "You've grown tall, hun!" she laughed.

After having lunch together, Keaton was talking to Pauline when he brought up the subway, and she panicked.

"You still scared about it, Mom?" he asked. "How about we take a trip together? Subways are way cheaper, you know."

"I think I'm good, hun," Pauline said gently. "Maybe some other time."

"Oh, come on, Mom. Don't be such a bore. We could go shopping downtown. Anyway, there isn't much to do here... I mean, it's pretty much the same at home, and—"

"Please, Keaton," she said sternly. "I don't think I can."

"Fine, whatever," he said. "But someday, you'll have to step out of this fear, Mom. Like, really!"

Never, thought Pauline. I'll never do that. If only you knew why I can't do that, Keaton!

A few days later, Keaton and Pauline flew to New York for her treatment, and after consulting with doctors, it was decided that Pauline would require eye surgery.

Keaton wanted Pauline to go under the knife before Christmas so he could show her how beautiful New York looked at that time of year. Unfortunately, that couldn't happen because Pauline's vision would take time to stabilize after the operation. But regaining her vision was no less joy, and Keaton thanked the doctor.

"Don't worry, Mom," he then assured Pauline. "We'll do a Christmas tour in New York next year!"

***

When Pauline opened her eyes for the first time after the surgery and saw her son's face, she cried. "Oh, you… I can see you, Keaton! I can see you!" she sobbed into his shoulders.

"Yes, Mom," he said as he wrapped his arms around her. "You certainly can!"

It seemed like everything was perfect in their lives. Months later, Pauline completely recovered, and Keaton decided to show her around New York even though Christmas was long over.

"Jesus, Mom! What's up with you and the subway?" he sighed in frustration as he sat outside her hospital room.

That was one of the best times in Keaton and Pauline's lives. Pauline was proud of her son for following through on his promise and getting her treated. It was the best Christmas present she could have ever received.

And a year later, when Christmas knocked on their doors again, Pauline flew to New York alone to do what she hadn't been able to last year—to see New York's Christmas with her own eyes. But on the day they were supposed to go out, it was snowing heavily.

"Maybe we should cancel the plans, Keaton!" Pauline said. "The roads are all slick… Not safe to drive. And the snowstorm is just going to make it worse."

"No way, Mom!" Keaton was adamant. "We're not missing out on this again! Let's take the subway!"

Keaton was adamant about showing her around the place, but Pauline's heart shuddered with every step they took outside the house. Suddenly, she lost consciousness, and Keaton had to rush her to the hospital.

"Jesus, Mom! What's up with you and the subway?" he sighed in frustration as he sat outside her hospital room.

Thankfully, it was just stress, and Pauline regained consciousness soon. But on that particular day, she revealed to Keaton why she was afraid of the subway, and Keaton had to pause to process it all.

"A woman saved me when I fell on the tracks? Mom, I don't have any memory of it! Like, when did this happen?" he asked, shocked.

"A little boy you were, honey," Pauline said. "I thought you'd be terrified after the incident, but you seemed fine. But honestly, I wasn't fine, Keaton. I dreaded losing you. Only the Lord knows how hard it was for me. Her name was Miriam, the woman who saved you."

"And you have no idea where she's now?"

"It's been 31 years, honey. Even if I knew, I don't think I would remember."

"I need to find her, Mom. She did us a favor, and it wouldn't be fair if I didn't thank her. She saved my life, after all…."

Keaton didn't know anything about Miriam other than her name, and he had no idea where to look for her. But he used all of his connections—asked his friends in the police—and three years later, he found her.

***

When Miriam opened the door to a grown-up Keaton, she didn't recognize him.

"Yes? How can I help you?" she asked.

Keaton smiled. "By any chance, do you remember the boy you saved at the subway station?" he asked. "I'm Keaton!"

"Oh!" she smiled. "You are THAT boy? Lord, you're all grown up! Is your Mum OK? I can never forget how worried she was that day. Anyway, come on in, come on in."

"Thank you, Miriam," Keaton said gratefully as he sat on the couch. "For everything you did. Mom's very good. It's Christmas season… wonderfully, the last few Christmases in my life have been very special, and there couldn't have been a better time to repay your kindness… Ask me anything, and I'd love to, you know, get it for you and your family. Please."

Miriam smiled. "Anything?" she asked.

"Yes, sure," Keaton said confidentially.

"So join me for this Christmas dinner. I'd like to invite you and your mother over. My husband is no longer with us. He passed away last year. But the rest of the family is coming. Please join us, and that's how I'd like my favor returned! The more, the merrier!"

"Wonderful!" said Keaton. "I'll make it possible. I can't say no to my second Mom, who saved my life, after all."

What can we learn from this story?

• Nobody in this world is a stranger. We're all connected by bonds of humanity. Keaton was beyond grateful to Miriam, who didn't hesitate to risk her life for his sake, and he returned her kindness, albeit 31 years later.
• Spread happiness this Christmas and, if possible, help those in need. It's beautiful that Keaton was able to thank his savior during Christmas.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a cop who hated Christmas until he spent it in a shelter with a homeless man he once saved.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.