I Was So Ill I Was Unable to Walk When a Man Virtually Carried Me to the Toilets.

At the age of my late teens, my daily commute involved an packed public transport. It remained jammed and would always be standing room only once I stepped aboard.

During a certain commute, I started experiencing incredibly sick while the vehicle rocked around every turn. I kept telling myself to hold on another few kilometres before the bus reached my destination, at which point I could sprint quickly to the closest public restroom to be sick.

We were coming down the road leading to the destination as it dawned on me I was unable to last. All of a sudden, it felt as if a fog descended upon me. The world became blank and silent; like someone had turned off the audio. I said to myself, “I am about to pass out”.

Fortunately, I stood close to the driver inside the vehicle, so I took a few steps toward the driver and told the operator to stop, explaining to him I was going to vomit. He opened the doors and I stumbled out on to the pavement.

I was resolved to avoid being sick in front of multiple lanes of cars, so I picked myself up and started trying to walk to the park on the other side, thinking I could I could at least discreetly hide near some foliage to vomit. However I apparently fainted. I could feel my physical self, yet I was unable to walk or see properly, leading me to start inching my way to the park.

“Everything alright, love?”

At that moment, I got scooped up. I sensed someone holding me and a stranger inquired, “Are you okay, dear?” I explained to this unknown man that I required to vomit. Therefore, he almost carried me down into a nearby building and placed me inside the women’s restroom. He asked me whether I required him to wait for me but I declined.

After a short while, I regained my composure enough to sit on the restroom floor when from beyond the stall I heard his voice asking, “Are you OK, love? Can I get you something?” I could not to stand up just then but did manage to thank him and after a few more minutes was able to move my legs. I returned home and spent the next few days healing from what turned out to be a severe stomach virus.

I did not see the stranger’s face – just his lower half along with a sizable metal toolbox he had with him – but he saved me, at a moment I was completely helpless.

Often this world can make you self-protective, pushy, and rivalrous. What he did was the kind of action that melts away that emotional callousness. He served as evidence that people’s natural inclination leans toward compassion, something I love about humanity.