By Callum Ludwig
A local hero has emerged from the carpark of Yarra Junction Woolworths after helping an elderly lady who had a fall on Friday 25 March.
The hero, who wished to remain anonymous, was on the phone in the carpark when the incident occurred.
“She was walking back to her car, and I just noticed her fall out of the corner of my eye, but also heard the noise as my window was open,” he said.
“I yelled out, dropped the phone and leaped out of the car to run around and pick her up, make sure she was okay..”
Judy Stow had tripped over, blacked out and snapped her wrist in three places.
Our hero was taken aback by the extent of her injuries, to which Ms Stow tried to downplay, dazed and in a sense of shock.
“As I was picking her up she put her hand on her car and it was just all just blood, and she just kept apologising and saying no I’ll be fine,” he said.
“She really wasn’t noticing how bad the cuts were. I told a Woolworths worker who was dabbing at the blood put pressure on it, and told her if you’re able to walk I’ll walk you over to the medical centre.”
Ms Stow was unable to walk across to the Yarra Junction Medical Centre, so with her permission, he got her into her little Holden Astra and drove her across to the medical centre and alerted the staff. After initially trying to convince staff she would drive herself home unsuccessfully, Ms Stow was taken to the hospital for assistance.
Ms Stow’s daughter Emma Rowe said she and her mum are incredibly grateful for his kind act.
“He went above and beyond, I put up a post on the Yarra Ranges Noticeboard to try and find and thank him,” she said.
“My mom and I would’ve loved to get him something, a nice bottle of bottle of bourbon or rum or a dinner voucher to Yarra Valley winery for him and a friend but he would not accept it.”
The hero was concerned after leaving Ms Stow with the Yarra Junction medical centre, as he realised he hadn’t checked if she had a way to the hospital and called back the same afternoon to check if she was alright.
Ms Rowe said his parents, family and friends should be really proud of him.
