A hopeful Cambridge University applicant is searching for a stranger who sent him an unexpected note of encouragement on a train.
Joe Wren, 17, from Ashington, Northumberland, was travelling from Peterborough to Morpeth with his parents when they got talking to another passenger about the interview he had just undertaken to study for a Masters in Mathematics at Robinson College, Cambridge.
As they were chatting, Joe noticed a man in his forties working away but was not expecting what came next.
On the train back we were talking about my Cambridge interview, when I got up to leave the guy sitting on the next table handed me this envelope with £10 enclosed as well with a lovely note on. Im still in shock, this nice gesture will stay with me for the rest of my life. pic.twitter.com/Jnxq2t3uiI
— Joe Wren (@JoeHWren) December 12, 2017
“As we got up to get off the train at Morpeth, this man stood up said ‘Good luck with Cambridge’ and shook my hand, in his hand was this envelope,” Joe told the Press Association.
On the envelope was written a heartfelt message of encouragement and inside was a gift of £10.
“Hello,” the note read. “We haven’t ever spoken but I really wanted to wish you luck with your application to Cambridge.”
He goes on to say the cash is a “small token of how I believe great students like you should have the chance to study”.
Joe said he was “dumbfounded” by the note, which he shared on Twitter on Tuesday. His tweet has received over 141 retweets so far.
This is unreal!!! If this ever gets back to the stranger that done this for my brother.. let’s have a drink sometime.. you sir are an absolute diamond https://t.co/1kTvHToeRC
— ross thompson (@rossi_NE63) December 12, 2017
“Sadly as the train was stopping I didn’t have time to talk to this man, I just went back in the carriage and shook his hand, said he was a very nice man and then we had to leave.”
Since Joe’s thank you was so hurried, he would love the chance to meet the generous stranger and “tell them how amazing they are and that they embody what is nice about humanity”.
“I would love this man to get the recognition he deserves, so many times these kind of things go completely unnoticed.”
Joe’s brother also got behind the hunt, retweeting his brother’s original tweet.
Whether or not Joe’s application is successful, he has certainly learned something from this experience.
“When I read the note all I could think to myself was how amazing this man was and that this was an incredible act of kindness … I will never ever forget this experience and it has inspired me to try to be kind to everyone I meet.”
Joe will find out if he has gained a place at Cambridge in January.