What is the most memorable moment you shared with a stranger who you never saw again?

[kgfreo]

In my line of work I came across a lot of people during the worst times of their lives but this happened when I was off duty.

I was driving to my parents house when I saw an older lady laying on the footpath with blood pouring down her face. There was a huge cut on her forehead and her brow ridge was swelling up. I pulled my car across the road and asked her if I could help her or if I could call anyone for her. She refused to let me bring her to a doctor and couldn’t remember any phone numbers so I brought her to a nearby chemist and the shop assistants started to clean her up and got her tea. I felt like a spare part and left quietly.

A few months later I had to go back to the same chemist and when I approached the counter, the assistant said “It’s you!! You’re the girl who helped a woman who had fallen on the road! We’ve been looking and talking about you for months”.
She went on to explain that the lady had been searching for me for months and was referring to me as an Angel that came out of nowhere and disappeared as quick as I had appeared. I asked the shop assistant not to mention that she’d met me. I’m not that significant of a person and I think it’s a nicer thought for that lady to hold on to instead of meeting me.

There are plenty more stories but that means more as I was not in a uniform just “doing my job”.

I’m not religious. I was thinking about this one day in a park, watching the sunlight on the clouds and thinking it’s so odd to believe in god, I mean if there’s a god surely it’s not unreasonable to ask for a sign or something, like in the bible stories.

A few minutes later, a Mormon missionary entered the park and came over to join me. She said she’d just had her entire day’s work suddenly cancelled and felt the urge to come to the park opposite, and as I was the only person there, she wondered if I needed anything. Nope I said and after a polite quick chat I fled.

This freaked me out!

Still not religious 😬 but I often think of her and wish I’d let myself have a proper chat with her about what I was really thinking, instead of fleeing in polite nervousness. But… Mormons? 🤷‍♀️

Age 15, on holidays in another part of the country, my father 47, collapsed at the BNB and an ambulance was called. At the hospital, the nurse ushered us into a side room and explained that he'd had a massive heart attack in the ambulance and was being worked on. She then returned to say he had died. She gave my younger brother and I trays of food to eat whilst my mother could view our father. I just remember her being so kind to us on the most traumatic day of my life to date.

Unlike the BNB owner who charged my mother for an entire day/night room usage despite us leaving 3hrs after check out time in the day. Yes- I agree it was after check out time, but given the circumstances, surely a half day charge would have been more reasonable!

My experience inspired me to becoming a health professional myself. I was working in A&E and had finished a busy shift, changed out of uniform and was walking to my car when a car was driving erratically towards me. A women covered in blood ran out shouting the most blood curdling 'help me', and pulled what I thought was a red rag doll from the passenger seat. It was her young daughter who had run through an old style plate glass window and was unconscious. She thrust the child into my arms pleading 'help me PLEEEASE', so I grabbed the girl and took off running back to A&E.

I stayed an hour or so to help stabalise the child with my colleagues. They insisted I go home to rest. Before leaving, I saw the mother once more who hugged me and said she would never forget me. The child was airlifted to a larger trauma unit and I never found out what happened. I searched local papers at the time and tried to find out. I've never forgotten the mother or daughter. She would be about 25 now if she did live

When ds was around 2 I was leaving our doctors surgery and the wheel suddenly came off the pushchair.An elderly man saw this and asked where I lived and that said he could fix it for me.Turns out he lived on my street so i wheeled it the best i could to his house and he fixed it in his back garden while ds toddled around.Never seen him since (very long street) but I'll always remember that.

I always think about a woman I saw crying in a toy shop at Christmas. It was really busy and there was a really happy atmosphere, kids excited, Christmas tunes, and I turned to one side and saw a woman crying, properly sobbing. It was really incongruous.
I went over to my boyfriend at the time to ask if he thought I should say something, then before he answered I thought I would ask her if she's ok or wanted a tissue.
However, when I turned back she had gone.

I often wonder how she is now. I wondered if she'd lost a child or something awful.

If this was in the East Midlands then I could’ve been that teenage girl, I was 14 when I gave birth to my son, who’ll be 17 very soon

I was in Sainsbury's about 2 weeks after my first dc was born. It has been a rough start with a forceps delivery, 3rd degree tear and feeding issues so I was feeling very vulnerable. An elderly gentleman came up to admire the baby and have a little chat. Then he put his hand on my hand and said 'you'll be a wonderful mother'. It brings me to tears every time I remember it.

This is utterly heartwarming 🥰

Driving DS3 to school, I saw a woman stumbling along in her dressing gown and slippers. As I passed her, I saw her face was pouring with blood. I stopped and got out, asking her if I could help her. She said she was on her way to her dads, her husband had beaten her up and he was finally asleep so she got out. She was unable to get her phone or purse as he had them. I drove her to her dads as was on my, she refused my offers of police/ambulance/A&E. I still think of her when I go past the flats I dropped her outside of, I hope she left her husband and phoned the police.

Years ago went to Pearl Harbour. It wasn't one stranger but many. All the veterans probably aged 70+ just there in ones and twos dabbing at their eyes and blowing their noses. We had gone there as a place of historic importance and were of course respectful but for them the emotions were still raw and they could let them out. It felt like an intensely private grieving and my friend and I were intruders.

Blew a tire on the M1.

Managed to get onto the hard shoulder. Was trying to find my breakdown service number when a car pulled up in front.

The family that stopped were returning from holiday further north and still had a couple of hours journey ahead. They had 2 young children in the car, luckily asleep. He unloaded all their luggage to get at his tool box, luckily I had a spare. Changed my wheel and got on their way. Wouldn't accept anything other than thanks.

As a single parent, on my way back to 2 young teens I have never been more grateful.

After a bad car accident I was in shock but refused the ambulance and was waiting with the police for DH to arrive. Someone came out of a nearby house and made me a cup of tea. I was so grateful. I did send a thank you card although I didn't know their name.

Not me but DH. He was working in Venezuela in the 90’s. Went to the pharmacy for antihistamines and saw a man slumped at the door gasping for breath. Told the pharmacy and was told -yes, he needs this inhaler for his asthma but doesn’t have the money. DH bought the inhaler, it was about £15.

I went for a walk along a local beach and found a dead body. It was an old man. Looks like he was washed up on the rocks. I live near a large bridge so he maybe jumped or had an accident on the rocks.

When I first saw him there was no one around so I sort of freaked out and saw a man far off in the distance so went running to tell him and we both went to see the body and call the police.

It was a major event in my life and I shared it with this man that I've never seen since. We left each other with a hug and I'll never forget him.

About 16 (but very baby faced) I'd ran away from home after an argument with my parents at about 10am, was trying to walk to a friend's house on the other side of town.

It was a Saturday night at about 12/1am I was walking through the town centre and a group of drunkish (but not bladdered) guys walk past, one of them stopped and said he was worried I was too young to be out at this time and was I okay.

Said he knew someone related to Milly Dowler and he was worried for me. Was careful not to be too ful on but offered to put me in a taxi home and money to pay for it.

He's probably forgotten as it was 20 years ago but does give me faith that there is good guys out there!

There are two that stand out for me from the 48 hours between my late DH's accident and the decision to turn off his life support. I remember very little really of the rest of that time, but these two people made such an impact they will stay in my heart forever.

1. I was 37 weeks pregnant at the time and whilst everyone else (meaning well of course) was urging me to go home and rest and come back in the morning, one ICU nurse quietly and kindly advised me to stay the night and she got me a reclining chair so I could be comfortable but stay close to DH. She said something along the lines that I could catch up on sleep later but I should not waste a moment of those last hours I could spend with DH as I might regret it later. Indeed, those quiet hours through that night, holding his hand and telling him all the things I wished I had ever had the chance to tell him, and that I loved him and would do my best for our children every day of my life, were so, so precious. Although I never saw her again I thank that nurse with all my heart for giving me that advice.

1. The taxi driver who gently refused to take payment for my journey home and back to the hospital the next morning, when I popped back to shower and change briefly

I'd gone out for an afternoon walk with DS1 who couldn't have been more than a few weeks old. He'd woken for a feed but the boiling water I'd bought out with me hadn't cooled down enough because he'd woken sooner than I'd expected. I hotfooted it to the big Tesco that had a Costa in it, joined the queue and asked for ice to cool the water down.
DS1 was screaming his lungs out and I felt so helpless. The water cooled, I made the bottle and as I started feeding him and he calmed down a lady tapped me on the shoulder and said "I just want you to know that you're doing a great job" and walked off. In that moment I needed to hear that.

Guinefort

How utterly tragic. I am so glad that you experienced some kindness.

When I was about 18 (30 plus years ago, no mobile phones) and had just passed my driving test, I was driving home from the gym 9ish one evening. As I drove down a dark street, I saw a couple a bit older than me arguing. The man was shouting a lot and then started kicking and hitting the woman. I still wasn’t a confident driver, but reversed back, opened the passenger door and screamed at the woman to get in which she did. The bloke then tried to kick my car. I drove her to the Police station which was very close and she got out. Weirdly I can’t remember much of our conversation, but I vividly remember feeling incredibly scared and very angry (at him).

Looking back maybe she wouldn't have wanted to go to the Police , but at the time it was all I could think of.

I had quite a traumatic birth with my DS. He was on special care and my husband had to go home and collect our daughter. I remained on the ward and had no evening visitors. A health care assistant came in and saw I was upset, she got me a wheelchair and took me up to special care. Told me to ask the special care nurses to call her to collect me after I’d spent time with him (Id had a c-section). She did just that, took me back and made me a drink and shared her box of chocolates with me.

She must have had a million other things to do but she showed such compassion.

My son is the manager of a petrol station and he delivered a baby this morning. The dad pulled into the forecourt and ran into the shop for help and to call an ambulance as the baby wasn't hanging around.

My son delivered the baby before the paramedics arrived, they'd talked him through it. My son thinks it was a baby girl but not too sure as it was a bit of a shock. 😂

He doesn't even know their name and both parents only had broken English. He's hoping they call into the garage in the near future.

I had post natal anxiety, and hadn’t been out by myself for a very long time, especially beyond a short walk. I walked into town with double pram (have twins) with plan to go to the coffee shop. Only one of the double door of the shop was opening ( usually bother are) and I couldn’t get my pram in.

it wasn’t embarrassing in hindsight, but at that time I felt so stupid and upset I couldn’t get my coffee that I started crying whilst turning round.

Then this lady came running after me, had bought me a hot chocolate , and sat down with me on a bench. Her husband and little boy followed. They were so nice , I’ll never forget it and just having the company

I often think about Cristina

I booked a seat in first class on one of Italy's highspeed bullet trains, i think i was going from Milan to Florence..

It turned out i was sat opposite a very attractive girl with glasses and curly brown hair. She had a huge book and a McDonalds takeaway brown bag..

I commended on her McDonalds takeaway and she laughed and ended up giving me her fries. We chatted and laughed a lot for the next couple of hours, it turns out she's a student in Milan and was heading home for the weekend down south can't remember the city. Her father works for the train company so she gets free first class tickets.

anyway my station stop came up i put my coat on and grabbed my bag. and shock her hand and wished her luck.. she looked kind of disappointed

I should have kissed he cheek but you can't be too careful these days.. but i regret not getting her number.

I'd have been on a Ryanair flight any day anywhere to meet her for a proper date
😭

There's been so many times I've been privileged to "connect" with a patient during my 30 years as a HCP. Only today, I got chatting to a 94 year old gentleman, who initially wouldn't engage but after a few minutes he was sharing his whole life story with me, and what a life story it was . Makes you feel so warm inside.
I always thought I got the most out of these interactions but I recently had to be a patient myself and although I'm used to hospitals its a frightening experience. I remember waking with a start in the middle of the night because the patient next to me was shouting and a nurse appeared at my bedside, stroked my hand and said its OK, you are safe and I've got this. So reassuring and so kind. Thank you nurse Chelsea, wherever you are.
I guess it works both ways.

Leaving Liverpool airport in 2016 after a holiday to Portugal and a man in his 60s/70s just fell back, smacked his head, wasn't conscious at all. I rang 999, his wife distraught next to us crying for him to wake up, my friend comforting her. Paramedics arrived v quickly. He still hadn't come around. They put a screen around him and we were told to leave them to it. I always wonder what happened to him.

I was abroad, alone, and had my first and thankfully only panic attack, it lasted over 4 hours. A complete stranger sat with me in the hotel lobby, just the two of us, talking me though it, breathing with me and calming me. It was one of the worst experiences of my life. I'm so lucky that he sensed the trouble I was in and came to me. I think of him as an angel.