Man who was Stomped 3 times gets Goody Bag: 'I'm not done yet'
How many times can you say you've been Stomped?
For 45-year-old Adolfo "Jay" Laguardia, he'd say three.
In his 18 years living in Singapore working in construction, the Philippine national has been featured on Stomp thrice for his civic-mindedness.
A familiar face on Stomp
Jay was featured on Stomp for the first time in March 2017, when he used his e-scooter to shield an injured biker who was hit along Sims Road.
Two months later, he made headlines again for helping a cleaner who was injured by a ceramic basin that broke in Changi Village Hawker Centre.
More recently, he helped to free a driver who was trapped in an overturned van following an accident in Hougang on June 2. Three others were taken to hospital and the van driver was arrested for careless driving causing grievous hurt.
Jay recounted: "The van hit the curb, overturned and continued sliding towards me. There was a tree in front of me. Without it, it would have come to me eventually."
On July 23, we presented Jay with a Stomp Goody Bag.
Award-winning heroism
His features on Stomp aren't the only occasions that Jay has lent a helping hand to those in need.
In August 2024, he received a Community First Responder Award from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) for helping a man who had lost consciousness at City Hall MRT station.
Jay recounted: "I was on my way home. As I exited the MRT station, there was an uncle in front of me, and it looked like he wasn't feeling well. But I didn't expect him to just fall down.
"He hit his head really bad. I heard the bone in his head crack. He started having a seizure, and that's when I realised, oh man, this is serious.
"I attended to him, and there was another guy who knew how to do first aid, and another woman who was dressed in nurse scrubs.
"I told them not to touch the man's head because the part looked soft, like there was no bone at all. I checked his pulse, but there was none. We took turns doing CPR until he had a faint pulse. We got the public to call the ambulance and the last I heard, he survived."
'Helping is not for everyone'
According to Jay, there are often many bystanders during accidents as most people are simply unsure of what to do.
"Helping someone in medical emergencies is not for everyone; there are times when someone helps but ends up worsening the situation," shared Jay, who is trained in first-aid.
"I think it is important for people to learn to swim and how to do first-aid.
"I'm happy to help as much as I can, because it could have been me. It wouldn't be pleasant if nobody helped me, so you have to feel how it would feel to be the person. Imagine if someone was standing right in your shoes, and they didn't offer to help?"
After being presented with the Goody Bag, Jay told Stomp: "I feel like I belong to the community now after 18 years, so I'm just doing my part.
"It's an honour to receive thanks and be appreciated in some way. But I'm not done yet."
Know someone who deserves a Goody Bag? Write in to stomp@sph.com.sg or WhatsApp us at 9384 3761!
