EXPERIENCE. ALEX ROZIER HAS THE STORY.
>> Reporter: EVERY PERSON HAS A
STORY THEY WILL NEVER FORGET.
FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON CHIEF VASCULAR
MEDICINE DOCTOR, IT IS A STORY
THAT TOOK PLACE MORE THAN 50
YEARS AGO.
YEARS AGO. THE DOCTOR WAS JUST SIX MONTHS
OLD WHEN HIS DAD, A METHODIST
MINISTER IN DELAWARE SAW
THIS.>> HE SAW A MAN OUTSIDE
UNDER HIS HOOD WITH THE HOOD UP
AND HIS FAMILY IN THE CAR . HE
SAID I WONDER IF HE NEEDS HELP.
>> Reporter: IT TURNED OUT HE
DID.>> THIS IS THE FAMILY AND
THEIR FOUR CHILDREN.
>> Reporter: THEY WERE ON A
ROAD TRIP FROM SOUTH CAROLINA
TO MASSACHUSETTS WHEN THEIR CAR
BROKE DOWN.
BROKE DOWN. THE DOCTOR'S FATHER TRIED TO
HELP.
HELP.
HELP. BUT, THE MINISTER MADE THEM AN
OFFER.>> HE SAID TAKE MY CAR
AND DRIVE YOUR FAMILY UP TO
MASSACHUSETTS.
MASSACHUSETTS. I WILL TAKE CARE OF YOUR CAR
WHEN THE SERVICE STATION OPENS
ON MONDAY MORNING.
I WILL PUSH IT ACROSS THE
STREET AND HAVE IT FIXED.
WHEN YOU COME BACK, WE CAN
SETTLE UP.
SETTLE UP. >> Reporter: MOVED BY THE
GENEROSITY, THE FAMILY
COMPLETED THEIR ROCHA.
IT WAS AN IMPORTANT FAMILY
VACATION -- ROAD TRIP.
IT WAS AN IMPORTANT FAMILY
VACATION BECAUSE JUST WEEKS
LATER, THE FATHER WAS DEPLOYED
TO VIETNAM AND IT DID NOT GO
WELL.>> HE WAS SHOT DOWN OVER
NORTH VIETNAM AND CAPTURED.
>> Reporter: THE DOCTOR SPENT
-- THE FATHER SPENT THE NEXT
SIX YEARS AS A PRISONER OF WAR.
IN 1973, HE STEPPED OFF THE
PLANE AND SPOKE TO A JOYFUL
CROWD AFTER HE WAS FREED.>> WE
ARE INDEBTED TO YOU FOREVER.
AMERICA, WE LOVE YOU.
>> Reporter: WHAT IS HIS
SERVICE MEAN TO YOU?>> IT IS
THE ULTIMATE.
THE ULTIMATE. HERE IS A MAN THAT WAS WILLING
TO LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. >> Reporter: THE FAMILIES KEPT
IN TOUCH AND IN JUNE 1973, THE
FATHER WROTE THEM A LETTER
THANKING THEM.
THANKING THEM. AND ONCE AGAIN, FOR HELPING HIS
FAMILY WHEN HIS CAR BROKE
DOWN.>> IN THE LETTER AND IN
SUBSEQUENT CONVERSATIONS, HE
SAID THAT SINGLE ACT OF
KINDNESS HELPED SUSTAIN HIM
DURING HIS YEARS AS A PRISONER
OF WAR IN VIETNAM.
>> Reporter: THOSE WORDS GOT
THE DOCTOR THINKING.>> I
THOUGHT TO MYSELF, I WONDER
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO HIM.
IF HE IS STILL AROUND.
I FOUND HIS WIFE'S OBITUARY.
I LOOKED AND SAW SHE IS
SURVIVED BY HER HUSBAND.
I THOUGHT, HE IS STILL ALIVE.
>> Reporter: THAT REALIZATION
BROUGHT HIM HERE.
TO ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND . IN THE
LATE SUMMER, THE DOCTOR AND HIS
FAMILY TRAVELED ACROSS THE
COUNTRY TO RECONNECT WITH 93-
YEAR-OLD FRED CROW.>> THERE IS
THE MAN HIMSELF, MYSELF, MY
WIFE AND MY DAUGHTER.
>> Reporter: HOW WILL YOU
REMEMBER HIM?>> IN A POSITIVE
LIGHT AS AN AMERICAN HERO.
>> Reporter: IF YOU TAKE
ANYTHING FROM THE STORY,
PERHAPS IT IS TO DO THE RIGHT
THING.
THING.
THING. A
THING. A SINGLE ACT OF KINDNESS MAY
NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.>> AMAZING,
50 YEARS LATER.
I GOT THE STORY IDEA FROM A
FRIEND AT HARBORVIEW MEDICAL
CENTER.
CENTER.
CENTER. WE GOT TO TALKING AND IT WAS
THIS IDEA THAT, WE LIVE IN A
WORLD NOW WHERE WE ARE ALWAYS
ON THE GO.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU STOP
OUTSIDE AND GIVE THAT PERSON A
JUMP OUTSIDE THE GROCERY STORE
OR, WHATEVER IT MAY BE THAT
WILL LEAD TO A LIFE DEFINING
MOMENT THAT IS MEMORABLE FOR
DECADES.
DECADES.
DECADES. IT WAS SO NEAT, THAT IT WAS SO
IMPORTANT TO THE DOCTOR TO GO
AND TRAVEL ACROSS THE COUNTRY
AND THINK FRED CROW FOR HIS