Ellie, a 27-year-old girl was commuting in a train when something unexpected happened with her. She was headed to her class as usual. She was about to reach her destination in 28 minutes but unfortunately, she could not. The woman collapsed on the train. But the real story began when she found herself lying on a corner of the station. There was no one around her. Who brought her here? Who helped her? She soon found a note that gave answers to all these questions.
27-year-old Ellie Farnfield, London used to give fitness classes. At the same time, she was also taking classes to become an acupuncturist. She used to travel from Redhill, Surrey to London to attend her classes. However, today's journey was going to be different and very strange.
Ellie, being a fitness trainer herself was very conscious about her health. With that, her profession as a fitness trainer required her to stay in health. She loved her job at Rabble, a fitness club. The club was known for making usual fitness routine interesting by adding team games to it. No need to say, she was in her best possible health. But one day something happened that turned everything upside down.
It happened one evening in November when Ellie was waiting for her train on the platform. She was not alone there, the platform was crowded with hundreds of commuters waiting for the train. She had her class in an hour and she did not want to miss it as people from far places used to come to attend her class. She hoped for the train to come on time.
She had seen people transforming from fat to fit. She had seen many lives changing because of the training she used to give. What used to make her happiest was the fact that it was because of her guidance people were making such a positive transformation. That day too she was headed towards her class to make some more positive changes. However, she had no idea that she was about to go through a big change during this journey of half an hour.
Luckily, the train came on time. She leaped on it. The coach was so crowded with people that she could not get a seat for herself. She squeezed through the crowd and found herself a vacant spot by the window. Standing there she waited for the train to depart from the station. She had to reach her class within an hour but little did she know that she was not going to attend that class ever.
In an interval of a minute, the train started moving forward. Although there was a thick crowd on the train, it was the fastest mode of transport to reach her destination. Whereas the car would have taken about an hour for Ellie to get to her destination, the train was going to take only 28 minutes.
She took out her bottle from her bag and opened it up as she was feeling thirsty. She took a sip of it and waited for her destination to arrive. Things were going on a different track for her. She was about to witness an unbelievable moment of her life.
10 minutes went by in the middle of chaos. 18 minutes were still there for her station to come. It was then something strange began to happen with her. Her mouth dried out and she began to feel extremely thirsty. Soon, she felt a tinge inside her head that escalated into a heavy headache. She felt as if someone had wrapped an elastic band around her ears and her head.
In no time the pain began to spread to different parts of her body. The tingle reached her arms. What was going on with her? She had never felt this way before. The worst part was yet to come.
It was getting worse second by second. Ellie began to feel claustrophobic. Not only that she even felt like vomiting. Her mouth got filled with a metallic taste. She assumed that perhaps she had gotten low on sugar as she had not eaten her lunch.
She got a grip on the metal railing to stand straight. The crowd of people was making it worse for her. She felt as if the crowd was mobbing her. She had never felt so suffocated before. She hoped for this feeling to pass.
Her head was throbbing and in no time her vision began to blur. She was struggling to focus on things when a whooshing sound hits her ears. Soon her vision immerses into the dark. Clearly, she was not in good condition and was on the verge of falling down. Still, she tried to battle her current state. “I can’t pass out on the train… no, no, no…” But she eventually succumbs to her illness and falls down.
Was she lying there for days or hours? She did not know. She opened her eyes and felt the weight of her own body. There was no one around. She was lying all by herself on one corner of the station. She got up and stretched out her right hand. It was then that she noticed something.......
Something fell out of her hand. But she was too surprised to take note of that. The first question that came to her mind was how she came here. Who brought her here and where was that person?
The first thing that came to Ellie's mind was whether her possessions were there or not. She started looking for her purse and phone. She doubted someone had stolen her possession while she was lying unconscious on the floor. But fortunately, all her belongings were there with her. She takes a sigh of relief. But all her solace fades away when she finds an alien thing included in her possession.
She had her jaws dropped when she sees 20 missed calls on her phone. She immediately goes to her call log and finds out about 14 outgoing calls had been made through her phone while she was lying unconscious. So clearly it wasn't her. She looked around but there was no one. Who had made these calls?
It was then Ellie looks down on the floor and gets amazed at what was lying on it, right in front of her feet. It was a crumpled piece of a paper and there was something written on it. She lowered herself and picked that piece of paper. There was a message for her. Something was scribbled on it with blue ink.
She tried hard to remember everything that had happened in the past hour but all she could remember was that she fainted on the train. And what happened after that was still a mystery for her. She straightened up the paper and began reading it.
The letter began with, ‘Eleanor, I hope by the time you read this you are feeling better.’ The girl was all stupefied when she read further. The letter proceeded, ‘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!’
The note further read, 'I’m also sorry I can’t stay with you now, but here is a coffee to perk you up later.' There was indeed a cup of coffee sitting on her left. It was getting more difficult for her to understand. ‘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.’
The note concluded, ‘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.’ Who was this stranger who helped her.
She was amazed and curious both at the same time. Who in today's world bothers to help others that too without taking any credit? This person was one of those few people.
Ellie reminisces, “I was very confused. Then I saw the note and the money and felt quite emotional – it was such a thoughtful thing to do.” She continued, “Anything could have happened. I could have hit my head, fallen off the train, been there for a long time.” Thanks to that stranger, the girl recuperated very soon. She had made up her mind that she would do something for that kind stranger once she would get okay. Now was the time.
Ellie took to her social account and wrote an overwhelming message for that stranger. She wrote, ‘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!!’
The post of Ellie got viral in a few hours only. Her message reached many hearts. Ellie was hoping that Tom would reveal his identity once he sees the post. Ellie explained, “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.”
Many people asked Ellie what her reaction would be on seeing that man who helped her. She answered, ‘I just want to thank Tom for his help. I’d tell him: “You’re a star and I really, really appreciate it”. I’d also like to return the money. There is something really lovely about the kindness of a stranger. If I meet him, drinks are on me.’ Would she ever be able to find 'Tom'?
She further stated in her Facebook post, “I have no idea who this man was or if he was sitting next to me but I wanted to show how grateful I am to him.” “If Tom does come forward, first of all I would like to give him back his money and then thank him for what he did. He deserves a lot of praise.”
Four years have passed by but the true identity of 'Tom' is still unknown. Even though Ellie tried multiple times to find him, he never responded or perhaps he never got those messages. So will she give up on him?
Ellie has even come up with a campaign on Twitter that is #findtraintom. She has not lost hope and is still looking for him with the same enthusiasm. A spokesperson concerning Southern who happens to be the train operator says, ‘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.’
She is still looking for that person. Although there is no progress in her search she thanks all the people who shared her post in order to find out the man. She commented, 'No updates yet but thanks to everyone who is helping with the hunt! "#findtraintom.'