Waking Up In A Strange Place
The hard surface pressing into her back and dull throbbing pain in her left leg were the first things she noticed as she awoke. When she opened her eyes, she noticed the vast ceiling's high rafters curving above her.
She pushed herself up into an upright position, dazed and bewildered. She opened her hand and there was something in her hand.
No Recollection
Ellie Farnfield, a 27-year-old London resident, taught fitness courses and studied to become an acupuncturist in her spare time. She was commuting by train from Redhill, Surrey to London, Victoria when things suddenly took a turn for the worst
The scariest part was that Ellie had no recollection of what had happened.
Epitome Of Health
Ellie was the perfect picture of health, and her profession as a fitness trainer at Rabble, a social fitness club that incorporates team sports into a fitness program for individuals of all ages and fitness levels, required her to remain in top shape.
Until that fatal day, she had never shown any signs of any health concerns or illnesses.
Change Of Her Own
Ellie was waiting for her train with hundreds of other commuters on a seemingly regular evening in November. She was hoping it would arrive on time because she didn't want to be late for class. She liked her profession, and she loved seeing the people who came to her sessions go through personal transformations as she helped them on their fitness path.
Ellie, on the other hand, had no idea that she was about to go through a transition of her own that same evening.
Getting On The Train
When the train finally arrived, she stepped off the platform, through the doors, and into the throngs of people inside. She smiled at the conductor and pushed her way through the crowds.
All of the seats on the train were already taken at this time. So she took a seat next to the other straphangers near the window and prepared herself for the train's departure.
Marvels Of Technology
The train began to gently move forward, and the flow of commuters began to sway backwards, worsening the crowding at the back. Ellie sipped from her water bottle and marvelled at how convenient everything was.
A route that would ordinarily take an hour by vehicle takes only 28 minutes by train. Ellie will be at her destination in just 28 minutes, or so she thought.
Sudden Change
Ellie starts to feel odd after around 10 minutes. Her mouth becomes dry, and she becomes terribly thirsty. She notices a pounding headache that feels like an elastic band wrapped around her head and tightening above her ears.
Her arms begin to tremble as the sensation spreads to other parts of her body.
Lightheaded
Ellie becomes claustrophobic and lightheaded, and a wave of nausea rises from the pit of her stomach, leaving a metallic taste in her mouth. She thought her blood sugar was low at first. She was well aware that she should not have skipped lunch.
She clings to the metal railing for support. She can't do anything because she's on a crowded train. She wishes for the feelings to fade away.
Fading Away
Ellie's eyesight begins to blur suddenly, and she hears a whooshing sound in her ears. Her eyes become wider and darker as the darkness seeps in from the edges.
She attempts to fight it by repeating to herself, "I can't pass out on the train... no, no, no..." until the blackness overtakes her and she falls.
Waking Up
She has no idea how long she has been unconscious... days? Hours? She becomes conscious of the weight of her own body, a flesh-and-bone immovable dummy. She closes her eyes and concentrates, feeling herself fall back into herself.
She's lying flat and alone. She raises herself to her feet and opens her right palm, allowing something to slip out.
Was She Mugged?
Ellie rushes to her phone and handbag, hoping and praying that nothing was taken from her while she was unconscious. As she realizes that everything is in place, she feels relieved. She frantically searches for her phone.
There were a total of 20 missed calls. She checks her call history and notices that she has made 14 outgoing calls, but she has no recollection of making them.
Terrifying Feeling
Ellie then looks down and notices that two papers have fallen from her grip. She carefully picks them up. One is a crumpled piece of paper with a hastily scrawled note in blue ink on it.
What went wrong with her? Her most recent recollection is of feeling nauseous on the train and then the terrifying sense of falling. As she begins to read, a wave of fear floods over her.
A Note
‘Eleanor, I hope by the time you read this you are feeling better.’ Ellie continues, with eyes wide in disbelief. ‘You had a seizure on the train and I took you off. You didn’t hit your head but I may have hurt your leg as I walked on it before realizing you were on the floor having a fit! Sorry!’
She'd had a seizure on the train, apparently! She continued reading in the hopes of completing the mystery.
Cup Of Coffee
‘I’m also sorry I can’t stay with you now, but here is a coffee to perk you up later,’ the note continued. When Ellie looks to her left, she notices coffee in a paper cup sitting next to her.
‘And £10 to make sure you get a taxi home. Sorry I don’t have any more money so I hope you don’t live far away.’
Medical Help
‘I’ve contacted people from your phone and medical help is on its way and you’re with train staff. Wishing you all the best and a quick recovery. Love, Tom.’ The note ended. Who is Tom?
Why would a stranger be so nice to someone he hasn't met before? She knew then how fortunate she was to have a guardian angel looking out for her on that particular day.
A Thoughtful Gesture
“I was very confused. Then I saw the note and the money and felt quite emotional – it was such a thoughtful thing to do,” Ellie recalls. “Anything could have happened. I could have hit my head, fallen off the train, been there for a long time.”
Ellie realized there was something she needed to do as soon as she recovered from her tragedy.
Facebook Post
Ellie posted on Facebook about her experience. In a Facebook post, Ellie described the anonymous good Samaritan who had come to her aid when she needed it most.
‘PLEASE LIKE OR SHARE – faith restored in humanity in London last night. Thank you so much to everyone who helped me last night – especially ‘Tom’. Would love to try and find this man so I can return his money and add many many thanks to it!!’
Looking For Tom
The story has gone viral since Ellie wrote her touching post, with thousands of people sharing it in the hopes that the anonymous 'Tom' will come forward.
“Everyone thinks Tom is great. There has been lots of speculation about who he might be, what he does, what he looks like, and friends “shotgunning” him as their future boyfriend,” Ellie said in an interview.
Return The Favor
'I just want to thank Tom for his help,' Ellie said when asked what she would say to the man who saved her. "You're a star, and I really, really appreciate it," I'd tell him.
She wanted to return the favor and the money he gave her. 'If I meet him, drinks are on me.' So, did Ellie manage to track him down?
There Are Still Good People Around
Sadly, the mystery 'Tom' has failed to come forward, even after four years. Ellie even started a #findtraintom campaign on Twitter in the hopes of finding him. However, it appears that the mysterious 'Tom' desires to stay nameless.
‘This would have been a frightening experience but thanks to our good Samaritan this young lady woke up in good hands with a taxi fare home.’ It only goes to show that good Samaritans can be found wherever!