Aug. 24, 2026
One Chance Can Change Everything
Sometimes kindness looks like giving someone a chance.
In 2021, a young woman arrived in the United States from Colombia with limited English, little work experience, and a dream of somehow finding her way to college.
Then she met Stacy.
What began with a restaurant job became something so much bigger—an opportunity that helped change the trajectory of her life.
Today, she's a college graduate pursuing her master's degree.
This week's KindCast is a beautiful reminder that sometimes kindness isn't doing something for someone. Sometimes it's seeing their potential, opening a door, and giving them the chance to walk through it themselves.
Who could you believe in this week?
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Welcome to Comcast.
I'm your host, Chad Smith.
Happy Monday or happy whatever day you happen to be tuning in Let's start it off with a little good.
So naturally I want to say that this is a really fun story, but I feel like I do say that about all of them.
0:25
And maybe it's just me and maybe I'm biased, but I really do love the experience of focusing on the good, of looking for what's good and noticing what is good in the world.
We always find what we are looking for.
So when we are focused on kindness, inevitably we will see and experience more kindness, both outwardly and inward.
0:49
The story today goes back to 2021, when a young woman, Valeria, all of 16 years old at the time, moved to the United States from Columbia with her family, and she had a vision of finishing high school and then trying to figure out how she could make college possible for herself in the States to pursue her dreams.
1:15
At the time, she did not speak very much conversational English, she didn't have any relevant work experience, and she knew that paying for College in the US was going to be difficult.
Her original plan was pretty practical.
1:30
She figured that she would spend at least a year working whatever odd job she could find and save as much money as possible, and then start at a Community College before eventually transferring to her university of choice.
And then she met Stacey.
1:49
So a girl from her school who was working as a Hostess at a restaurant told her that her job needed servers and encouraged her to go apply, and Stacy, who was the manager, gave her a chance when she really had no reason or obligation to.
2:07
She hired Valeria as a server, even though Valeria had never worked in a restaurant before and still wasn't confident communicating in English.
Instead of seeing what Valeria lacked, she chose to see the drive, the determination, and the grit that Valeria had in her heart.
2:25
And she took a chance on her.
She hired her, and then she took the time needed to teach her.
She taught her how to serve tables, how to communicate with customers, and how to become better and more competent at her job.
But Stacey's kindness it didn't stop with giving her this job and teaching her.
2:44
As her final year of high school was coming to an end, Valerie's family, who had only planned on being in the US for about a year, was preparing to move away.
That meant that Valeria would be on her own, and she still wasn't exactly sure what she was going to do.
3:02
When Stacy learned what was happening, she offered for Valeria to live with her while she continued working and saving money.
She treated her like her own.
And Stacy knew how badly that Valeria wanted to go to college, so she would even find extra things for her to do around the restaurant so she could earn a little extra money here and there.
3:24
And every extra shift, every extra task, it all meant a little more money that she could put towards her future, which meant the world to a young girl with a dream.
And eventually, all those opportunities started adding up.
Because of Stacey's help, she was able to begin making payments on a plan with the university that she wanted to attend, covering her dorm intuition.
3:50
And instead of spending that next year working different small jobs and starting at a Community College like she had originally planned, she got to go straight to university.
The very university she really wanted to attend right after graduating high school.
4:12
I love this story.
Even the experience that Stacey had given her at the restaurant continued to make a difference.
Having that work experience made it much easier for Flair to find other jobs while she was in college, and those jobs helped her continue supporting herself and paying her way through school while working towards her degree.
4:32
And now here's where she is today.
She just graduated this year from that very same university and is enrolled in classes to pursue her master's degree.
And she also just got offered a job that she once thought she could have only dreamt about.
4:50
I mean, really, how freaking cool is that?
She arrived in the United States in 2021 not even imagining all the opportunities that would eventually be available to her.
And Stacey's kindness helped create part of that foundation that made it all possible.
5:10
I mean, think about it.
She took a chance on someone who had no experience, who was still learning English and who she really had no obligation to help.
And then she just kept helping along the way.
And what I love is that Stacey didn't do any of this expecting something in return.
5:28
She just saw someone who really wanted something for herself and thought how can I help her get there?
Like Stacy, wherever you are, you are one of my heroes who does this.
All I know is I love it and while I I don't know, it might not be something we witness every day.
5:47
I do think stories like this are happening more than we realize, which is why I'm on a mission to share them.
I think we underestimate what simply giving someone a chance can do.
Maybe it's a job.
Maybe it's teaching someone something they don't know, or making an introduction, or giving them a little encouragement, or just letting them know that you believe in them.
6:09
It doesn't mean we have to do the work for someone.
Sometimes we can just help make the path a little easier to walk on, and who knows where it might lead them.
And imagine the ripple effect of that.
So maybe that's something to carry with you this week.
6:28
Who do you see something in?
Is there someone around you who could use a chance, an introduction, a little encouragement, some extra time?
Or maybe just simply hear you say, hey, you know what, I believe in you.
It doesn't have to be as big as offering them a job or a place to live.
6:45
Sometimes one open doors enough to change what someone believes is possible for themselves.
So this week, maybe notice where you have an opportunity to hold one of those doors open.
And as you go about your week, keep your eyes open for the good happening around you too.
7:01
Because the more we look for it, the more we seem to find.
And maybe, just maybe, you'll get the opportunity to be a part of someone else's kindness story.
Until next Monday, Kee noticing the good Kee creating it.
7:18
And keep believing in what might be possible.
Cheers.