9 times ordinary Michiganders performed extraordinary acts of kindness in 2025

Get inspired by our 2025 roundup featuring Good Samaritans, generous neighbors, and kind kids. 

The holiday season is all about giving—and “giving” doesn’t always mean material gifts. As we reflect on 2025 and look forward to the new year, we’d like to pay homage to a handful of feel-good Michigan stories from the last 12 months.

These stories exemplify the spirit of giving and generosity, which we’re proud to report is alive and well throughout the Great Lakes State. Who knows? You might just find yourself inspired to help a neighbor, support a community cause, or treat a loved one to a simple yet meaningful act of kindness.

Here are nine moments from 2025 when Michiganders performed extraordinary acts of kindness:

1. Metro Detroit teen creates app for Alzheimer’s patients and caregivers

Most of us have been impacted in some way by Alzheimer’s, whether we’ve watched the debilitating disease affect the memory of a loved one or simply read stories about the challenges of progressive memory loss. One Metro Detroit teen watched the impact of Alzheimer’s on his grandfather and was inspired to create an app to support other families affected by the condition.

High school senior Qassim Bazzi’s app, Recollect, is both sentimental and practical. It offers medication tracking, organizational tools for caregivers, and even a feature that lets loved ones add descriptive audio recordings to photos in the app—a practice that can help patients more deeply connect with memories.

The app is free to use, but its potential impact is invaluable.

2. Concerned stranger helps woman with dementia find her way home

When 65-year-old Janet Michels went missing from her Grosse Pointe Farms home in October, loved ones were terrified that she had been hurt or harmed. Michels, who has early-onset dementia, hadn’t been seen for hours when she was spotted in Detroit by Norma Romero.

Romero hadn’t seen news coverage about Michels, but noticed that she looked out of place and potentially injured. When she passed the same spot several hours later, she saw that Michels was still there, prompting her to take action. Michels was able to relay her husband’s phone number to Romero, who placed the call that got Michels home safely—and this simple act of checking in proved heroic.

3. Detroit shelter workers help woman deliver her fifth baby 

The employees of Genesis House II in Detroit wear many hats, though here’s one they probably never expected to take on: labor and delivery assistants. But life had other plans for them back in March, when Detroiter Kyneisha Johnigan and her four children found refuge at Genesis House II as she awaited the birth of her fifth child.

Within days of their arrival, the baby decided to make an early appearance as Kyneisha went into labor. With 911 en route, Genesis House employees helped safely deliver Kyneisha’s baby boy, Jasir D’Andre Smith. Now, Genesis House II is helping Kyneisha and her family find longer-term housing—and Jasir has quite the story to tell about his birth.

4. Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood surprises high school security guard

Michigan football fans are undoubtedly familiar with quarterback Bryce Underwood, but he made headlines in 2025 for something other than throwing impressive passes. Last spring, Underwood returned to his alma mater, Belleville High School, with a mission: to surprise the school’s security guard with a new car.

Underwood and the guard, Mychal Darty, bonded over countless conversations during Underwood’s high school years—and their relationship was meaningful to Underwood as he navigated those formative years. The football star invited Darty to the school grounds for “an interview” about their bond, only to present him with a new Chevy. Talk about a win.

5. Michigan teen receives life-saving kidney donation from his aunt

Grass Lake teenager Ethan Brown was born with a genetic condition that causes kidney disease. The high school athlete knew he’d eventually need a kidney transplant, but was still shocked to hear doctors say that the time had come last March. Finding a kidney donor is often a roadblock for patients, but Ethan soon experienced the ultimate act of selflessness—his aunt Melissa, who is related to him only by marriage, was tested and proved to be a perfect donor match despite no genetic factors working in her favor.

The transplant was successfully completed in September, leaving both Melissa and Ethan with a newfound appreciation for generosity and life itself. Above all, they hope their story will encourage others to consider the gift of kidney donation.

6. Wyandotte man returns lost wallet full of money to local family

If you’ve ever misplaced your purse or wallet, you know the feeling of panic that follows: You’re frantically searching through your car, worrying about all the fraudulent charges that will soon be on your credit card, and just generally freaking out. Sadly, many of us don’t recover our lost items—but one Wyandotte family has a different story to tell.

Michelle Johnson answered the door on a March afternoon to find Donnie Hanson, a stranger, holding her son’s lost wallet. Johnson’s son had spent the entire weekend working and earned around $100 in tips before he misplaced his wallet, which Hanson found in the middle of a road. Johnson and her son were touched by Hanson’s honesty and goodwill—proof that even the smallest acts of kindness can make a big difference.

7. Otsego County third grader inspires blanket-donation campaign for those in need 

When an 8-year-old student in Otsego County recognized the need for blankets and pillows among the area’s homeless population, he gathered friends and sprang into action. Along with his classmates at South Maple Elementary School in Gaylord, the 3rd-grade student ultimately collected 107 blankets and 65 pillows to donate—along with a handful of thermal blankets and rain ponchos to keep folks dry and warm.

Their donations were given to the Refuge of Otsego County, which will distribute them to locals in need. The moral of this story? Sometimes all it takes is one person and one idea to make a difference.

8. 300 Chelsea residents form human chain to help bookstore move to its new location

Have you ever wondered how bookstores move their literal tons of books when a new location opens? In the heart of Chelsea, this dilemma presented itself as Serendipity Books relocated to a new shop just down the street.

There were more than 9,000 books to move, but locals showed up in the most inventive way to get the job done: Some 300 Chelsea residents created a human chain from the old bookstore to the new building, then spent just under two hours passing books along a “living assembly line.” To top it all off, volunteers even shelved the books in alphabetical order once they reached their new home. Can we hire the Chelsea “book brigade” to help us move?

9. Union City police rescue kittens and turn them into station mascots

Here’s a simple fact of life: Everyone loves kittens. If they don’t love kittens, they’re simply incorrect. This fact extends to folks from all industries, including police officers, and the Union City Police are no exception. In November, two tiny kittens were seemingly abandoned near the village police office in Union City.

Officers brought the cats inside, and within weeks, they’d become unofficial mascots of the squad. Now, the adorable four-legged friends (lovingly dubbed Ellis and Ezra) have made themselves at home in the office, where they’re spoiled daily with food, treats, and cozy spots to sleep—and a few head scratches for good measure.