By Pamela Collins
It was a bright sunny day on October 14 last year when Centennial resident, Kazi Anwar, was involved in a serious bike accident along the waterfront trail as he made his way toward Colonel Danforth Park. He attempted to call 911 as he was lying alone on the path but had great difficulty as he was fading in and out of consciousness.
As it happens, a few Good Samaritans stopped to assist and they stayed with him to ensure he was taken to safety. “I do not know if I would be here today without their help, ” Kazi said.
He has since returned to that very spot and watched and waited to see if those same people walk or cycle that route routinely so he can express his gratitude to each of them. He did not get all of their names but this is what he does remember:
A woman in a red Canada hoodie stopped and told Kazi that she was going to stay with him until the ambulance arrived.
Another woman and a younger lady who were walking their dog stopped to help as well. Kazi had taken advantage of the Bike Share program that was recently set up along the waterfront and the younger lady told him that she would return the bike to the share rack so he would not incur additional charges.
A cyclist named Steve stopped and kept talking to Kazi making sure he did not lose consciousness. Steve regaled Kazi with stories about his parents who were from England and Germany. He gave Kazi a granola bar and some water while everyone stood by Kazi’s side.
In the meantime, another woman, who identified herself as a retired nurse, stopped to assist. She inspected Kazi and provided details of his injuries and directions of the accident scene to the 911 operator. Several people directed the paramedics over the bridge to where Kazi lay, including the younger lady who by now had met the paramedics at the entrance of the Colonel Danforth Park trail. Without their help, the first responders would have had quite a challenge finding and getting to the location.
Approximately 20 minutes after the 911 call, the ambulance arrived and transported Kazi to Scarborough Centenary Hospital where he was diagnosed with a suspected concussion, multiple fractures to his right arm and superficial injuries all over his body.
This story isn’t about Kazi’s unfortunate accident and physical injuries, but rather about the overwhelming kindness and generosity of the many people who live in or visit the Centennial community who stopped to assist someone in need.
If you recognize yourself as one of those kind people, please reach out to the CCRA at news4ccra@gmail.com and let us know. Kazi is extremely grateful and would appreciate being able to thank each and every one of you. He is humbled by the support he received.