I Was So Ill Walking Was Impossible Until a Fellow Passenger Essentially Lifted Me to the Toilets.

At the age of 19 years old, my morning travel involved an crowded coach. The vehicle was always crowded and would always be without any seats once I stepped aboard.

During a certain commute, I started experiencing terribly ill when the coach swayed around each corner. I continuously reassured myself to persevere for a few more stops until the bus arrived at where I needed to get off, at which point I could sprint quickly toward the most convenient public restroom to throw up.

We were coming down the road leading to the stop when I realised I wasn’t going to hold on. All of a sudden, it felt as if a curtain fell over me. My vision turned white and really quiet; as if someone turned off the audio. I said to myself, “I will lose consciousness”.

Thankfully, I was positioned close to the driver inside the vehicle, so I took a few steps forward and told the operator to open the doors, explaining to him I was going to be sick. He promptly opened the bus doors and I stumbled out out onto the street.

I was resolved not to vomit in view of six lanes of traffic, so I forced myself up and endeavored to stumble to the park on the other side, thinking I could it would allow me to secretly conceal myself near some foliage to throw up. But then I apparently lost consciousness. I could feel my limbs, but walking was impossible and my vision was blurry, so I began crawling towards my intended destination.

“Everything alright, love?”

In that instant, someone picked me up. There was an arm around my waist and a stranger inquired, “Everything alright, love?” I managed to tell the mysterious stranger that I needed to get to a bathroom. Therefore, he almost helped me walk into an adjacent building and guided me in the ladies’ toilets. He wanted to know if I needed him to wait for me but I declined.

Not long after, I felt better enough to sit on the restroom floor and from the other side of the stall I heard him inquire, “Do you need anything, love? Do you need anything?” I wasn’t able to stand up just then but I was able to say thank you and after a few more minutes was able to move my legs. I returned home and then spent the following days getting over what turned out to be a horrible case of gastroenteritis.

I did not see that man’s face – only his legs along with a sizable steelwork tools container he was carrying – yet he rescued me, at a moment I was in my weakest state.

Many times, life can make you defensive, aggressive and competitive. His act was the type of kindness that reverses that emotional callousness. He demonstrated that our default setting is to be kind, something I love in other people.