In Such Poor Health Walking Was Impossible When a Man Essentially Lifted Me to the Toilets.

At the age of 19 years old, my daily commute meant taking an express bus. It was perpetually full and invariably became completely full once I got on.

On one specific day, I started experiencing terribly ill while the vehicle rocked around every turn. I kept telling myself to hold on just a little longer so the bus could reached my stop, so I could then sprint quickly to the closest public restroom to throw up.

The bus was approaching the avenue close to the destination as I realised I wasn’t going to make it. Suddenly, it was like a veil came over me. Everything just went white and really quiet; like someone had cut the sound. I thought, “I will lose consciousness”.

Luckily I was close to the driver inside the vehicle, so I managed several steps toward the driver and told the operator to pull over, explaining to him I was going to get ill. He promptly opened the doors and I hurriedly stepped on to the pavement.

I was determined not to vomit in front of a busy multi-lane road, so I picked myself up and endeavored to walk toward the green space across the road, where I believed it would allow me to find some privacy among some shrubs to be sick. But then I must have lost consciousness. I was aware of my body but I was unable to walk or see clearly, so I started dragging myself toward the park.

“Are you okay, dear?”

In that instant, someone picked me up. There was someone holding me and a man’s voice asked, “You right, love?” I explained to this mysterious stranger that I required to get to a bathroom. Thus, he practically supported my weight into a nearby building and placed me in the ladies’ toilets. He asked me if I wanted him to wait for me but I said no.

After a short while, I had recovered to the point of sitting on the restroom floor and from outside the stall I heard him inquire, “Do you need anything, love? Do you need anything?” I wasn’t able to get up just then but I was able to express my gratitude and after a few more minutes regained the function of my legs. I got myself home passing the following days getting over what was later diagnosed as a horrible case of gastroenteritis.

I never glimpsed that man’s face – merely his legs and a large steelwork tools container he had with him – but he helped me, at a moment I was in my weakest state.

Many times, life can make you defensive, aggressive and competitive. What he did was the kind of action that melts away that protective shell. He served as evidence that people’s natural inclination leans toward compassion, something I love about humanity.