Who knew that a spontaneous math tutoring session in the subway would become a timeless teachable moment. Some people don’t like math because many of us had experienced grueling math equations when we were in school. It is something we want to avoid.
Though some have resorted to enrolling in online college classes to brush up their math skills, in this story, the father is trying to relearn his grade school math equations to help his son by himself.
A New Yorker caught a touching moment between two complete strangers in the subway.
Denise Wilson was on her way home and she took the Q train to Brooklyn after work on April 17 when she bore witness to an incredible moment between strangers that broke down racial and economic barriers. She then noticed a man in a bright red jacket she was sitting across to.
The man, Corey Simmons, is holding a pile of math worksheets on his lap and seemed struggling with the problems. Fortunately, she was not the only that noticed it. Another man took a seat beside Simmons and helped him with the problems.
“I saw him open the notebook watched him go through it, and a few stops later, another guy got on the train and he started leaning over and being a little nosey, trying to see what he was doing,” Denise told People.
The kind stranger looked over Simmon’s shoulder and started being nosy. The man in the red jacket told him that his son failed a math test. He wanted to help his son, but it has been quite a while since he has done fractions and is trying to relearn it.
Wilson was shocked when the other told the father that he used to be a math teacher. Then, the man started quizzing Simmons and explained the problems to him.
“He was explaining to him the things he got wrong and breaking it down to him so he could get a better understanding. I had to capture that moment because it was too heartwarming. It was amazing to me,” Wilson told another interview with Inside Edition.
“When I saw that, my heart filled up with so much warmth. Dads don’t get enough credit sometimes, I feel like. And come to find out, Corey is a single father. That’s amazing to me,” she quickly added.
Wilson discreetly took a photo of the two men and posted it on her Facebook account. It immediately went viral. Wilson was glad that she was able to share the heartwarming exchange in New York subway.
She added that it felt good that people can come together, regardless of skin color, and teach one another.
“People in America should do that more often. Race shouldn’t matter. I got a better understanding of the math equations and was able to relate it to my son,” Simmons said. Simmons hopes to enroll his son in tutoring in the future.
“You need help sometimes, and you shouldn’t want to bite your tongue, to not ask for the help. So don’t feel shy to ask someone for help. It’s okay,” Simmons told CBS. “It doesn’t matter if you fail, it’s what you do after you fail.”
Faith in humanity restored! Have you seen this photo? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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That is so beautiful. God bless you both. There still are empathetic people in this world and that’s exactly what we need more of. 💗🙏
Love and care is natural, unstoppable. I live in the South and I have seen it my entire life! I have given and I have received. Automatic hate is a false narrative. When this narrative is stopped, calmer times will prevail.