Bathgate mum thanks Good Samaritans

Jan 28 2010 by Marjorie Kerr, West Lothian Courier

Bathgate mum thanks Good Samaritans

A MUM has spoken of her gratitude for the strangers who rescued her as she rushed to visit her baby daughter in hospital.

Marie Henderson (32) of Stevenson Terrace, Bathgate, was on her way to visit her six-week-old daughter, Lily, at St John’s Hospital when she became stuck on ice and snow. But passers-by were quick to come to her aid.

Marie said: “Lily had taken ill about 4am and was taken by ambulance at St John’s. My partner, Paul was there with her, and I was at home with our other two daughters.

“But at 11am I was going up to the hospital and had just dropped off Paul’s mum to look after our four-year-old daughter, Meadow, when I got stuck. I came out of the scheme onto the roundabout onto the main road near Wester Inch and I could feel ice scraping the bottom of the car.

“The next thing I knew, my car had spun round and was stuck in solid, icy snow.

“I was getting a bit panicky because I didn’t know what to do and really just wanted to get to the hospital.

“A taxi driver stopped and said I needed to get a spade and dig myself out, so a passer-by went and got a spade and a friend to help him, then more people stopped and eventually a woman got me going by giving me a bag of grit to put under the wheels.

“There were about 10 people helping me and pushing the car. After about 40 minutes, they managed to get me free and I just want to thank them all so much for helping me, especially since they got covered in snow and grit from pushing the car.”

But Marie’s traumatic day was far from over – when she arrived at St John’s she was told that Lily was suffering from respiratory syncytial virus, an infection of the lungs and breathing passages, and that the baby would need treatment at the Sick Kids Hospital in Edinburgh.

“Lily was transferrred to the Sick Kids and kept in a high-dependency unit for five days,” said Marie. “Her heart rate was really high and it was a horrible experience. I have never been so scared. I’m not religious, but I was asking everyone if they would pray for my wee girl.”

Happily, Lily made a full recovery and was able to return home on January 3, but her mum is keen to make sure that the people who helped her know she hasn’t forgotten them.

Marie added: “I also want to thank all the nursing staff at St John’s and the Sick Kids because they were just fantastic during a very anxious time.”