Even in these times, there are angels of mercy among us
It was the morning of January 25, this year. My son Dilip told his wife Niranjali that he had an appointment with the British Council and that he was going there by bus. The next thing she knew she was receiving a phone call from an unknown caller to say “A gentleman has collapsed on the road near the British Council. Can you come immediately?” She contacted my daughter and they both left at once to Colpetty.
Later, we found that the staff of two offices near the British Council has seen my son collapse and had rushed to the scene to try to be of assistance. First they had contacted the police and also tried to send my son in a vehicle to the hospital. Then because of the urgency of the situation, one of them took his phone from the pouch at his waist, saw a number that said “Home”, and dialled immediately. They also dialled the last number dialled on his phone and informed that person through which a doctor friend of theirs was also contacted and sent to the scene.
Meanwhile a policeman passing by had dispatched my son to the Accident Service of the National Hospital in a three wheel- er. When my daughter and daughter-inlaw arrived at the scene, they were informed of this and the policeman handed over all his possessions to them. When they arrived at the hospital they were informed of my son’s death. (We were told after the post mortem, that a blood clot had entered his lung, and when that happens the person cannot breathe, and that this often results in immediate death.) The trishaw driver and a policeman stayed with them till evening to assist them in all the official inquiries that had to be done. The police officer assured them he would help to clear all the paper work that day itself so that my son’s body would not have to be kept overnight in the mortuary.
The purpose of this letter is to spread the word around, that in this world we live in, a world filled with so many incidents of murder, rape, abductions, theft from vulnerable people and other atrocities, there are people who are indeed angels of mercy who have a strong sense of civic consciousness. The shock of my son’s death was severe and we cannot understand why it had to happen. But we are comforted that in his last moments he had people around who tried to help him and that no one tried to harm him or take advantage of his helpless situation. I thank the God above for protecting him from all harm. We who are left, myself, his wife, my other son, and my two daughters, and all who knew and loved him, console ourselves that he is now in a far better place and we will be together with him again and till then God will be with us in our time of sorrow. Therese Motha Via email