Even as such events inevitably lead people to speculate about the presence of evil and cruelty in this world, they often stand as a testament to the good that can be done by everyday individuals – and the willingness of complete strangers to risk their lives for one another.

April is Organ Donation Awareness Month, so what better time to celebrate the bravery of a woman who took this step for a complete stranger?

When Xavi Hernandez coordinated a surprise visit to see Miquel at the Hospital Sant Joan de Déu in Paris, sources state that he made two promises.

When news of this young girl’s action on behalf of her autistic classmate – 9-year-old Jimmy Mandeville – spread, a representative from the Maui Autism Center reached out to the Parkman family and presented Eileen with a bravery award at a ceremony held last week.

“I guess to everybody else, I’m handicapped, not to myself. I didn’t realize that I was different than anybody else,” Gregory Iron explained in a short televised piece that went on to win an Emmy in 2012.