Yew Tee MRT station staff comes to rescue of Stomp writer who suddenly lost ability to walk
Three staff members of Yew Tee MRT station came to the rescue of a 58-year-old man who lost the ability to walk on Jan 8 evening.
That man was me.
I was crossing the road on my way home when my right leg suddenly just gave out.
I couldn't put any weight on it and any movement meant excruciating pain. A doctor later told me that it was likely caused by a torn meniscus in my right knee.
I hailed a passing taxi, but I couldn't get into it because it had stopped too far from the kerb. My daughter went to buy a wheelchair at the nearby Guardian, but none were in stock.
I was stranded there on the side of the road, standing on my one good leg for about two hours. Calling an ambulance would be a last resort.
Then my wife remembered something she saw at the MRT station. It was a big sign that said: "Go-To-SMRT: We love to help."
The Go-To-SMRT sign identifies the station as a place where anyone can approach the staff to seek assistance, such as first aid and locating lost items. There is also an air-conditioned room designed for those not feeling well to rest and recover.
At my wife's suggestion, my daughter went to the MRT station to borrow a wheelchair.
To my surprise and relief, my daughter returned with not only a wheelchair from the station but also three strapping guys with a first-aid kit - my heroes.
They helped me into the wheelchair and assisted my wife in pushing me part of the way home before departing with our immeasurable gratitude.
They told us to take our time in returning the wheelchair, which we did the next day.
It took me a few days to be able to walk again.
On April 21, I finally got to properly thank my saviours on my two feet and presented them with the new Stomp Goody Bags.
They are station manager Zulfadli Muhammad, assistant station managers Azmi Ismail and Abbas Shah Bahdur Shah.
Being called to assist people in the community is a regular occurrence for the station staff.
Mr Zulfadli said: "I think we get this kind of incidents on a weekly to monthly basis. Because we are a heartland station, we tend to have more senior citizens around and they tend to slip and fall. Especially in rainy weather, we'll be ready in case they need assistance.
"In the morning also, we'll stand by in case of morning sickness from the women who are pregnant and the elderly in the wet market.
"Sometimes, those aunties and uncles who go to the wet market in the morning push their trolley and have a fall. Then we'll help them get back home, either by taxi or we call their next of kin."
I guess I've become like one of those senior citizens.
