A parent calls on a stranger in a moment of crisis, sparking a lifelong friendship

By Jordan-Marie Smith,

Karen Zamora

Published August 18, 2025 at 1:10 PM PDT

In 1974, Surinder Gupta and his young family had just moved to New Orleans, a city where they knew no one.

Jordan-Marie Smith

Jordan-Marie Smith is a producer with NPR's All Things Considered.

Karen Zamora