96-YEAR-OLD’S LIFE TAKES AN UNEXPECTED TURN WHEN A STRANGER APPROACHES HER AMID STORM DORIS

 

Today we are going to shed light on a story that literally took the whole nation by storm as the larger part of the United Kingdom was hit by a 5-category storm that changed the face of every place it hit. While the whole nation was still suffering from the aftermath this raging storm had left behind, a real-life story of two absolute strangers and what they did amid all the chaos left everyone biting their nails. The two were making headlines because of their actions and how a small act lead to a fate-changing event. Read this amazing story till the end as every little detail adds up to the bigger picture.

A Disaster Strikes

No matter how much technology had advanced over time, there are still few things we humans don’t have control over and mother nature sits on top of this list. While all the elements that add up to nature and our environment including the weather, the plants, the animals and the landscapes and many other products of our unique planet are as essential for the survival of life. But there are also times when this blessing turns into a curse and we are left helpless and devastated. Unfortunately, a 5-category storm would soon make its way towards the United Kingdom turning their lives upside down.

The Oncoming Storm

This storm would wreak havoc in its wake and it was heading towards the United Kingdom as fast as it could. All the national and local news channels were flooded with intense weather reports and how bad could things turn within a matter of a few minutes. It was a matter of real concern and amid all the chaos a story concerning two absolute strangers made the news that touched everyone who happened to learn it.

Doris’ Rage

It was February 23, 2017, when Storm Doris hit the greater part of UK and Ireland with full force. The storm was approaching its target with a speed of 94mph and it was supposed to be a dangerous one. The reports suggested that the possibility for storm-related accidents to take place was quite high and people were advised to take appropriate precautions to save themselves from this threat, but one woman begged to differ, until…

An Old Woman

Joanie was a 96-year-old pensioner who lived at Walton-on- Thames, England, all on her own. The woman was quite active and healthy for her age and she was able to take care of herself and perform day-to-day tasks with ease. However, she still relied on a walking cane on days when she had to walk out of her home to run errands. One day she would step out of her house for a specific reason underestimating the power of Storm Doris not knowing that she would soon regret it.

A Shopping Trip

Joanie was thinking about picking up some groceries from a nearby store and she didn’t stress much about the storm Doris and the threat it had brought along to her area and other regions of the UK. Joanie was at her place when the gusts of wind had reached a record high. There was a red-alert regarding this disaster and everyone was worried sick and scared, except Joanie.

A Potential Threat

Everyone was well aware of the life-threatening risk that this storm was carrying with it and people were warned about it in time but it appeared that Joanie couldn’t care more as she put her coat on and went outside in the middle of this fatal storm. It had only been minutes and Joanie was just a few blocks away from her quiet place when she learned that the storm was much closer than she expected. She could see the debris flying all around her and it certainly was not a good idea to leave her house. So, what next? Did the woman dig her own grave by doing so?

Stuck In The Street

It didn’t take long for Joanie to realize that her small grocery shopping trip was going to get her in trouble and she should have stayed home instead of going out. The 96-year-old didn’t have enough in her legs to keep walking upright and the wind was only aggravating her trouble. She had to find a way to rescue herself from storm Doris as things could turn ugly in a matter of few seconds. 

Clinging For Dear Life

Storm Doris certainly made her presence felt as the gusts of wind were at a speed of 60 mph in Joanie’s town. The old lady got stuck in the middle of the storm and she was feeling absolutely helpless against the thunderous storm and there was no appropriate place to hide nearby. In an effort to save herself from the raging storm, she took a few steps towards the nearest light post and grabbed it. She held the light post as tight as she could, hoping that she could survive the terrifying winds. 

Not Helping Much

The old woman had clung tight to the light post but was it enough to save the life of this old woman. The high-speed storm might not have as much trouble to a young individual but things were much different in Joanie’s case. She was a 96-year-old woman who relied on a walking cane to move under normal circumstances and given the situation, this was anything but normal. However, Something strange was about to happen when Joanie least expected it.

Dan Barret

Dan Barret was a 25-year-old realtor and he was in his office when Storm Doris was raging upon almost every part of the United Kingdom. He was having a normal day at work along with his colleagues and they were all aware of the potential danger that lied outdoors. Due to the extreme weather conditions, Dan and his colleagues didn’t have much work to do and they were sitting idle for most of the time and it was when Dan caught an interesting sight.

Taken Aback

A young man who happened to work nearby noticed the sight of this old struggling woman. The man who caught Joanie’s sight was named Dan Barnett, a realtor who had been sitting in his office like any other day when he first saw Joanie holding the light post through the window of his office. Dan was surprised and angry at the same time when he noticed something that appeared shocking to him.

Can You See Me?

Dan wasn’t the only one who had noticed this woman holding on to the light post to save herself from the trouble. It wasn’t that Joanie was standing in a no man’s land but everyone who saw this woman seemed to have ignored her and it appeared that there was nothing that could get this old woman out of the harm’s way. Three people simply ignored the struggling woman and walked past her. Would this woman meet an ill fate or was there still some hope left?

Change In Events

Dan was surprised and it was hard to believe for him how three people simply walked past the woman as if she was invisible or didn’t even exist. Dan was angry after what he saw but he knew that his anger wasn’t going to make things okay for this old pensioner who was fighting for her life. He wasn’t going to sit around in his office and wait for a tragedy to happen and what he did next earned him the title of a “local hero.”

Decision Time

Dan was at the young age of 25 at the time and it was very much against his ethics to let an old woman suffer from the hands of storm Doris while he sits in his office. The weather conditions were extreme even for this young man but Dan was adamant about helping this woman and he decided to step out of his office and rescue this old woman. He immediately left his office understanding of the need for this situation and approached Joanie to offer his help. She stood there petrified, scared as anything but what happened the very next moment would stay with Joanie forever. 

The Midst Of A Storm

Dan didn’t waste a single second as he reached his hands out for Joanie and the old woman reciprocated. Dan gently wrapped his right arm around the old woman so as to guard her against the strong gusts of wind. Dan was certainly the shield this woman needed and it was nothing but a heart touching and beautiful moment which ironically took place in the middle of so much chaos and annihilation which was caused by storm Doris. Amazing, isn’t it? However, Dan still needed to find a safe place for this woman as she wasn’t yet out of danger. So what did Dan had in mind?

Headed To Safety

The gusts of wind were no longer troubling to Joanie as her new buddy Dan was now on her side. The two started walking and left the grip of the light post as they slowly marched back down the street. Dan wasn’t just there to help her cross the street as he stuck by Joanie until she was completely safe, so they continued to walk and you wouldn’t believe where Dan took this woman.

Unlikely Friends

The bystanders were filled with joy after witnessing such compassion from an absolute stranger in this disastrous situation. “Bless him, he’s such a hero,” said one of Dan’s colleague named Jodie Lynch, who happened to capture this incredible moment on his camera. The footage showed the two heading towards a safe place as Joanie was tagging along with her new friend Dan Barnett on one side and her walking stick in the other hand. Read further to find out where Dan took her and you’ll certainly be mesmerized by this young man’s character.

Safe And Sound

What is the safest place one can think of? Home, right? Dan is indeed a gentleman and he accompanied Joanie all the way back to her home. He walked Joanie down to her door and he was more than glad about his actions that helped the old struggling woman but he was still clueless that his acts were captured by his friend and the visuals would soon go viral. The story ain’t over yet as things are just spicing up.

Sharing Good News

Joanie had a rough day but she had succeeded in her purpose of buying groceries amid a thunderous storm. She spent the rest of her day relaxing at her home and if it wasn’t for Dan and his kind efforts, the old woman would have suffered an ill fate like a few others who weren’t as lucky as Joanie. However, Dan Barnett was clueless about the surprise he was in for…

Back To Work

Dan had successfully rescued this old woman and he had done it with all its heart as he made sure to drop the poor woman all the way back to her home. He then decided to take a walk back towards his office. He had not expected anything from his visit to his office as it was a daily thing for him but he was left surprised by what happened in the next moment. He was hailed as a local hero by his coworkers and they all appreciated his compassion towards an absolute stranger.

After The Storm

Storm Doris was finally over but it had left mayhem behind it, changing the face of many towns and cities for the bad. Stories of loss and destruction were surfacing all over the news and many rural communities were in a state of great disturbance as a number of electricity sources failed miserably. While there was serious damage including economic loss, not everyone made it out alive after finding themselves in the middle of this storm.

The Fallen Victims Of Doris

Unfortunately, not everyone was as lucky as Joanie. As it transpired, two people suffered serious injuries due to the accidents caused by Storm Doris and a young woman even lost her life. The late woman was an employee at the University of Wolverhampton, and she was out with her friends in Wolverhampton city center when she met her end.

An Unfortunate Event

Tahnie Martin’s death was tragic and it was sad to see a young and ambitious woman meeting such end. The 29-year-old was out there walking on Dudley Street with her colleagues when she met with the unfortunate accident that took her life. She had just walked past a cafe when a large piece of roofing flew from a building and fell directly on her. She died at the sight and it broke everyone’s heart and left them gutted for the rest of their lives. Nothing can fill the void for her absence but her loved ones still remember her for the amazing person she was…

Paying Tribute

The university’s vice-chancellor, Prof Geoff Layer, said: “We are all deeply saddened by this tragic loss. During Tahnie’s short time at the University, she made a real impact both in a professional and personal capacity. She became a very popular member of the team and was highly valued”. While the immediate effects of Storm Doris were quite intrusive and it had caused serious damage to both property and life, the aftermath had lead to more serious damage and it turned out that Tahnie Martin wasn’t the only one who lost her life to Storm Doris as there were more casualties.

More Casualties

The death toll further rose to three after a couple of accidents were reported which were the fallout of the mess Storm Doris had made. These accidents caused serious injuries to many and what was worse than it took the life of a 32-year-old woman and a lorry driver who was apparently in his early 50’s. The investigation made it clear as to how these accidents took place.

The Background Story

The police department carried out an investigation and they found that the 32-year-old had been pushing an empty pushchair so as to pick up her kid from a babysitter who lived a few blocks away. It was when she met with a road accident in Swindon. The onlookers said, “the wind took hold of her and swept the empty pram into the path of the road cleaner.” While the lorry driver lost his life at the scene in New Cross the reason for which was high winds that lead to a fatal road accident. A Police spokesman said, “it is not believed that another vehicle was involved.”

A Box Of Chocolates

Joanie was more than thankful for what Dan did for her given that they were absolute strangers at the time. She decided to see Dan and bought a box of chocolate to thank him for what he did. She left for Dan’s office and both of them were reunited, luckily for them the circumstances this time were much better and peaceful.

Hear It From Dan

He said: “Our office overlooks the High Street and I saw the lady clinging on so I rushed out to help. “I said ‘Are you alright? Do you need a hand?” and her eyes lit up as she said ‘Yes please’. He continued to explain, “she said three people had walked past without helping her so I offered to walk her to her cottage five minutes away. She said she wouldn’t have got home without me, but I was just happy to help out.”

It’s Viral Now

Remember how Dan’s colleague captured his generous act and recorded it over a camera. Well, the video made it to many platforms over social media and it spread like a wildfire in no time. The video that features Dan and his kind act was shot and uploaded by Jodie Lynch on her social media account and the rest is history. The video has gone places ever since and there was a piece of happy news amid all the worst that happened.

A Happy News

There wasn’t much to celebrate about the aftermath that Storm Doris had left behind. People had to bear the loss of losing their loved ones and the state was still recovering from the economic loss this disaster had caused. Having said that, the story of Dan rescuing Joanie was met widely by the media including local and national news channels as this real-life happy ending was all that the people who suffered needed to move on.

Words Of Appreciation

“Yes we need more people to help each other out, you never can tell when you might need help yourself thank you young man and you made me proud that your parents did a good job.”- Barbara Spezia. While another woman named Elisabeth Gaunt wrote “it’s called compassion, being a human being. It’s sad how little of we see in the world today, kudos for Dan.”

A Silver Lining

There have been times when nature strikes without giving any prior warning, leaving its target demented and helpless. There are a very few stories that inspire us and fill us with hope amid all the stories of loss and destruction and incredibly the story of Joanie and Dan turned out to be the only exception in the case of Storm Doris.

We Are Friends Now

We all know how Joanie later visited Dan and brought him a box of chocolate but it wasn’t just for the sake of returning the favor. Despite the generation gap between the two, they jelled up really good. They certainly weren’t meeting for the last time and the two had a lot to catch up after everything happened. 

Be Kind To Others

One can’t tell how a little sweet gesture can make an ever-lasting impact on someone’s life and it is high time that we learn from such stories that a small act of kindness can go a long way. Who knows what would have happened if it wasn’t for Dan and his act of kindness. If a small action taken by you can even make the slightest of change in someone’s life for the good, you shouldn’t think once before acting upon it. Who knows you might end up getting in trouble yourself.