Singapore commuter misses train to watch over partially paralysed man practise climbing stairs
A man who is partially paralysed was seen practising walking up and down a flight of stairs at an MRT station by a fellow commuter.
Wanting to ensure the man was safe, the concerned commuter stayed behind, ultimately missing his own train.
Concerned commuter watches over partially paralysed man
The encounter was shared by TikTok user @lift4tmr on Wednesday (2 Sept) in a post that has since drawn attention to the man’s determination to regain his mobility.
In the video, the man could be seen slowly making his way up a flight of stairs between two escalators.
A personal mobility device (PMD) was parked at the bottom of the stairs as he used the handrail and took each step carefully.
@lift4tmr Met this uncle who’s partially paralysed, but he’s still pushing himself to practise walking up and down the stairs. Hope he recovers soon, and hopefully nothing happens along the way. *** NOTE *** Before flaming me for not helping him, I just want to clarify what happened. I had just arrived at the platform and noticed a handicapped PMD and a man at the top of the stairs. After monitoring him for a while, I realised he was actually practicing going up the stairs. There were also other passersby around, but nobody approached him. BTW, I actually missed my train because I was monitoring him for quite a while. 😅 Some people, especially the elderly, might get angry or feel uncomfortable if you suddenly approach them and get too kaypoh. I wanted to make sure he was actually in need of help before stepping in.
According to the caption, the Original Poster (OP) had just arrived at the platform when he noticed the PMD and the man.
The OP said he initially monitored the man before realising that he was practising walking up and down the stairs.
“There were also other passersby around, but nobody approached him,” he said.
OP explained why he didn’t step in to help
The OP also anticipated criticism from some netizens who might question why he did not assist the man.
He explained that he had watched the man for “quite a while” because he wanted to understand what was happening before deciding whether assistance was needed.
Source: @lift4tmr on TikTok
The OP said that some people, particularly the elderly, may become upset or uncomfortable when approached suddenly or when others appear overly intrusive.
He also shared that he actually missed his train after spending so much time monitoring the situation.
The OP also wished that the man “recovers soon” and that “hopefully nothing happens along the way”.
Netizens also express concern for man
A netizen was also worried for the man as he was practising climbing the stairs without a companion.
Source: TikTok
A TikTok user suggested that the man should get a referral from the hospital for “daycare or rehab” at a subsidised price, so that he will be monitored by medical personnel.
Source: TikTok
A commenter admired the man’s desire to recover but thought he was being overly ambitious and taking excessive risks.
Source: TikTok
Another netizen also said that they were “so proud of this uncle!”
Source: TikTok
OP found man’s determination “truly inspiring”
Speaking to MS News, the OP, Mr Yee, 37, said that he came across the man at around 9pm on 31 Aug.
When asked which MRT station it was, he said: “I prefer not to reveal the location to protect his identity and privacy, as I haven’t sought his permission and am unsure of any potential issues this might cause him.”
Mr Yee said he was heading home after working out that day. He stayed for about 15 minutes to monitor the man until he safely reached the top of the stairs.
He said he had never encountered an incident like this before, and found the man’s determination “truly inspiring”.
“While I deeply admire and respect his perseverance, I also felt concerned for his safety,” Mr Yee said.
“Having someone dedicated to assist him would be ideal, although this would entail additional costs.”
He also noted that rehabilitation requires patience, making it unrealistic for busy passersby and station staff to provide full support.
Also read: Police Officer Handholds Visually-Impaired Uncle From Bukit Panjang MRT To Bus Interchange
Police Officer Handholds Visually-Impaired Uncle From Bukit Panjang MRT To Bus Interchange
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Featured images adapted from @lift4tmr on TikTok.
