In Such Poor Health I Couldn’t Walk As a Stranger Essentially Lifted Me to a Restroom.

During my 19 years old, my regular journey to work was on an express bus. The vehicle was always crowded and invariably became standing room only once I stepped aboard.

One particular morning, I was feeling quite nauseous while the vehicle swayed around every turn. I repeatedly told myself to persevere another few kilometres before the bus arrived at my stop, so I could then rush hurriedly to the closest washroom to vomit.

We were coming down the avenue close to the destination as I realised I was unable to make it. In an instant, it felt as if a veil came over me. Everything just went blank and silent; similar to when one turned off the audio. My mind raced, “I will lose consciousness”.

Fortunately, I stood close to the driver of the bus, so I managed several steps to ask the driver and asked the driver to pull over, explaining to him I was going to be sick. He opened the doors and I stumbled out onto the sidewalk.

I was determined to avoid being sick in front of multiple lanes of cars, so I picked myself up and endeavored to stumble to the park across the road, where I believed I’d at least be able to find some privacy near some foliage to vomit. But then I likely fainted. I was aware of my limbs, but I couldn’t walk or see clearly, leading me to start crawling towards the park.

“Are you okay, dear?”

In that instant, I was lifted up. I felt a strong arm supporting me and heard a man say, “You right, love?” I explained to this kind passerby that I needed to be sick. So he virtually carried me into an adjacent building and guided me into the female bathroom. He wanted to know if I needed him to stay with me but I said no.

A few minutes later, I felt better sufficiently to sit on the toilet and from the other side of the door I heard him ask, “Do you need anything, love? Is there anything you require?” I could not to get up at that moment but did manage to thank him and following a brief period was able to move my feet. I made my way home and then spent the following days getting over which was a horrible case of gastroenteritis.

I never glimpsed that man’s face – merely his legs along with a sizable metal toolbox he held – but he helped me, at a moment I was completely helpless.

Many times, life can make you self-protective, pushy, and rivalrous. What he did was the kind of action that reverses that hardening of the heart. He served as evidence that humanity’s innate tendency is towards kindness, something I love about humanity.