Do you know what someone has been through?

More empathy, please.

In the fall of 2014, I was a freshman news reporter for The State Press, which is Arizona State’s student newspaper. The paper did not have any open gigs in sports – a section in high demand – so I settled for a news position. Looking back, I’m grateful for the experience. I met some interesting people.

One of them: Sgt. Jonathan Cudo, a former Marine who was awarded a Purple Heart. He said something that still resonates with me today. (And resonates with my mother, who printed out the story, cut out this quote and always reminds me about it.)

“Regardless of who it is, when you see somebody, when you see a person, know that they have a story,” Cudo told me. “You don’t know their story, so it’s best to be receptive and give everyone the same amount of respect, because you don’t know what walks of life they’ve been through.”

Jonathan’s story: In 2012, he and others serving in Afghanistan were woken up by gunfire. Eventually, a firefight ensued and insurgents launched an RPG in the direction of Cudo and his commanding officer, Lt. Col. Christopher Raible. Cudo was injured when shrapnel struck him in the head. Unfortunately, his commanding officer died.

At the time we spoke, Cudo had gone back to school. He was at ASU and he had recently received his pilot’s license. He had learned to talk about what happened. He had reconnected with his father, to whom he had not spoken in years. He was fearless amid a difficult transition back to civilian life.

As I recall this, I’m rather amazed. When I reported this story at 18 years old, I had great admiration for Cudo, but I think that has only grown over the last decade. As we age, we face our own struggles and those, in turn, help us appreciate what others have overcome.

On that day in 2014, Cudo and I sat at the Taco Bell in the Memorial Union at Arizona State (if you know, you know) and he told me his story. The passersby couldn’t have known what he’d gone through, just as you and I are not privy to the struggles of those we pass on the street or even our friends.

We never know what someone is going through, so let’s show everyone extra empathy whenever we have the chance.