What would you do if you were walking down the street and saw someone slumped over? It’s hard to say without knowing the situation. Today, I encountered just that and decided to take action.
I was walking with my son toward Roosevelt Avenue here in Queens when we saw a car with the engine running. Inside, a man was slumped over, appearing to be breathing but very faintly. I checked on him by tapping on the window and windshield, but he didn’t respond. I then went to the driver’s side window and knocked on it and still got no response.
A crowd began to gather, all noticing the man slumped over. The smell of car exhaust was strong, and it was clearly a dangerous situation. I checked the car door, found it unlocked, opened it, and gently tapped the man on the shoulder. He remained unresponsive. People nearby were wondering if help should be called, but I signaled for them to wait for a moment. Then I gave him a firmer shake, and he finally reacted, looking dazed and confused.
I asked, “Are you okay, sir?” but he only stared at me. I tried in Spanish, “¿Usted está bien, señor?” Still, just a blank stare.
After a moment, he seemed to register what had happened, looked around at me, the crowd, and my son, and nodded. I advised him to turn off the engine to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning from the exhaust, which was quite strong, and suggested he shouldn’t drive if he was that tired. He nodded again, I gave a thumbs up, and then we walked away.
What would you do?
Oh my God. You are a hero.
Thanks Jas…