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

At the age of 19 years old, my morning travel was on an packed public transport. The vehicle was always jammed and would always be completely full by the time I boarded.

On one specific day, I began feeling terribly ill while the vehicle swayed around every turn. I repeatedly told myself to persevere another few kilometres before the bus got to where I needed to get off, at which point I could make a mad dash for the nearest public toilet to throw up.

We were coming down the road leading to the stop when I understood I wasn’t going to make it. Suddenly, it seemed a fog descended upon me. Everything just went hazy and muffled; like someone had turned off the audio. I said to myself, “I will lose consciousness”.

Luckily I was near the front on the bus, allowing me to take a couple of steps to ask the driver and asked the driver to stop, informing him I needed to get ill. He opened the doors and I stumbled out out onto the street.

My intention was to avoid being sick before multiple lanes of cars, so I forced myself up and began attempting to make my way across to the park opposite the street, where I believed it would allow me to secretly conceal myself near some foliage to vomit. Yet I must have fainted. I sensed my physical self, yet I was unable to walk and my vision was blurry, so I began crawling towards my intended destination.

“Are you okay, dear?”

At that moment, someone picked me up. I felt someone holding me and a stranger inquired, “Are you okay, dear?” I explained to this unknown man that I required to be sick. Therefore, he almost supported my weight over to a nearby building and guided me into the female bathroom. He wanted to know whether I required him to remain with me but I declined.

Not long after, I felt better to the point of sitting on the toilet and from outside the door I heard him inquire, “Are you feeling better, dear? Do you need anything?” I could not to get up right away but did manage to say thank you and shortly thereafter regained the function of my legs. I got myself home and spent the next few days getting over what was later diagnosed as a nasty tummy bug.

I never glimpsed the stranger’s face – only his legs and the big metal toolbox he had with him – but he saved me, when I was at my most vulnerable.

Frequently, society has a way of making you defensive, aggressive and competitive. His act was the type of kindness that reverses that emotional callousness. He served as evidence that people’s natural inclination leans toward compassion, a trait I cherish about my fellow humans.