AN elderly bus passenger, who was seriously injured after the driver braked to avoid a traffic collision, is reaching out to a young man who helped him as he lay unconscious on the floor.
Retired council worker Patrick Lawlor, 75, required hospital treatment after he was thrown to the floor, injuring his neck, knee and head during the incident on Saturday, August 25, at 11.35pm.
As he lay prone in the bus aisle, after hitting his head on the metal bulkhead, a young man rushed to his aid.
Mr Lawlor said: “While I was still lying on the floor, concussed, a young man helped my wife to lift me up off the floor.
Patrick Lawlor suffered severe bruising to his arms and legs.
“As we were both very shocked by what had occurred, we did not think to ask the young man his name.
“If the young man is reading this, we would like him to contact us through The Messenger, so we can express our gratitude and offer our thanks directly to him.”
Mr Lawlor and his wife Marian were returning to their home in Davyhulme on the Stagecoach 256 bus and were waiting at the front of the bus ahead of their stop in Davyhulme Road.
As the bus approached Davyhulme Circle, Mr Lawlor said the driver ‘slammed on his brakes’, sending him crashing to the floor.
As a result, Mr Lawlor said he suffered severe bruising to his limbs and a minor concussion.
Mr Lawlor was thrown into the bulkhead of the bus after it applied its brakes.
He has since been diagnosed with nerve and muscular trauma after a visit to his GP.
Due to the impact injuries to his head and neck, his doctor advised him to visit Trafford General Hospital to undergo a neck X-ray and a CT scan.
The results showed no signs of serious damage to his head and neck.
Mr Lawlor said the bus driver apologised to him as he was helped off the bus by his wife and the young man.
He said: “I was badly shaken, in shock and pain, and the driver said he was sorry.”
Mr Lawlor said he is still experiencing ‘radiating’ pain in the base of his neck and is worried about the effects of the injuries on his future health.
Despite his injuries, Mr Lawlor said he was encouraged by the conduct of the young man on the bus.
The 75-year-old required hospital treatment for his injuries.
He said: “The young man didn’t hesitate to rush over to me and offer his help.
“It’s encouraging to see young people still care about the older generations, after all the horror stories you hear about anti-social behaviour.
“I really hope he comes forward so we can offer him our heartfelt thanks.”
He added: “Sometimes acts of kindness can be the best medicine.”
Mr Lawlor described the Good Samaritan as a white male with light brown hair and a fresh complexion.
Concerned doctors gave him a CAT scan due to the force of the imapact.
He said: “I was shaken up at the time and I was in a lot of pain, but my wife remembers him being about 6ft tall, slim and perhaps in his early to mid-twenties.”
Mrs Lawlor added: “He was dressed in smart casual clothes and was well spoken.”
A Stagecoach spokesman said: “We can confirm that there is a current investigation relating to an alleged incident on our 256 service.
“As this is an ongoing investigation, we are unable to provide any further information at this stage.”
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