In Such Poor Health Walking Was Impossible Until a Fellow Passenger Essentially Lifted Me to a Restroom.

At the age of my late teens, my regular journey to work was on an express bus. It remained crowded and invariably became standing room only by the time I boarded.

One particular morning, I started experiencing incredibly sick as the bus lurched around each corner. I repeatedly told myself to hold on for a few more stops before the bus got to my destination, at which point I could sprint quickly to the closest public restroom to vomit.

We were coming down the street towards the stop when it dawned on me I would not be to make it. All of a sudden, it seemed a curtain fell over me. Everything just went blank and silent; similar to when one muted everything. My mind raced, “I am about to pass out”.

Luckily I was close to the driver on the bus, so I took several steps toward the driver and requested that the driver to open the doors, explaining to him I needed to vomit. He opened the bus doors and I stumbled out onto the sidewalk.

I was resolved not to vomit in view of six lanes of traffic, so I picked myself up and started trying to walk across to the park on the other side, where I thought I could at least discreetly hide near some foliage to throw up. However I apparently lost consciousness. I sensed my physical self, yet walking was impossible or see properly, leading me to start crawling towards my intended destination.

“Everything alright, love?”

In that instant, someone picked me up. There was someone holding me and heard a man say, “Are you okay, dear?” I explained to this unknown man that I needed to vomit. Thus, he practically carried me down into a close-by structure and guided me inside the women’s restroom. He asked me if I needed him to wait for me but I said no.

Not long after, I had recovered sufficiently to sit on the toilet when from beyond the door came him inquire, “Do you need anything, love? Do you need anything?” I was incapable to stand up right away but I did succeed to say thank you and after a few more minutes was able to move my feet. I returned home passing the following days recovering from which was a nasty tummy bug.

I never glimpsed that man’s face – just his lower half and a large steelwork tools container he held – yet he rescued me, during a time when I was at my most vulnerable.

Frequently, society can make you defensive, aggressive and competitive. His act was the type of kindness that undoes that protective shell. He demonstrated that people’s natural inclination leans toward compassion, something I love about my fellow humans.