A Stranger's Kindness: The Note That Restored Her Faith in Humanity

In late 2015, Ellie Farnfield, a student of alternative medicine and an epilepsy patient, was on a routine train ride to her workplace in London. For the first twenty minutes, the journey was uneventful. Then, without warning, she suffered an epileptic seizure and collapsed.

When Ellie regained consciousness, she was surprised to find herself in a hospital, with a handwritten note placed on the bedside table. The note was from a stranger who introduced himself as Tom.

Shock washed over her as she read the blue inked words, which resonated with her long after. "I hope that when you read this, you feel much better. You had a seizure on the train, and I got you off. Your head is fine, though I may have stepped on your foot before realizing you were on the floor having a seizure. I'm sorry.

"I'm also sorry I can't stay with you, but here's a cup of coffee to perk you up and £10 for a taxi to get you home. Sorry I don't have more cash; I hope you don't live far. I've contacted people using your phone, and medical help is on the way. You're now with the train staff. I wish you all the best and a swift recovery."

Once she felt better, Ellie wrote a Facebook post expressing her restored faith in humanity. "I have no idea who the man is or if he was sitting next to me on the train, but I wanted to express my gratitude to him. If I ever meet him, first of all, I'll return his money and then thank him for everything he's done, even though he deserves much more than that," Ellie said, adding that while what he did was nice, it was so much more. "Helping others is one thing, but going above and beyond, like Tom did, is truly special."

Tom's note

Ellie's Facebook post