Arriva bus driver praised after emptying bus to take injured Barming gran, 92, to Maidstone hospital
05:00, 09 December 2022
updated: 14:21, 09 December 2022
A "guardian angel" driver emptied his bus of passengers to take a bloodied and bruised 92-year-old woman to hospital after she fell over at the bus stop.
Daphne Wells was walking from the shelter in Tonbridge Road, Barming, to the incoming number 6 at around 11am on Monday, November 28, when she tripped and badly cut her face and knee.
The grandmother was left in a heap on the ground, unable to move and shouting for help, when Arriva bus driver Kyle Galloway, 35, and a passenger came to her aid.
Mr Galloway, who works from the Tunbridge Wells depot, helped her up while the female passenger, whose name Mrs Wells didn't get, rang for an ambulance but was told there was a four-hour wait.
That's when "knight in shining armour" Mr Galloway rang Arriva bosses and asked for the passengers on his bus to be swapped with another, which arrived shortly after, so he could take the Barming woman to nearby Maidstone hospital.
After ringing Mrs Wells' son, David, who had agreed to meet them at the hospital, the kind bus driver headed to the Hermitage Lane site, parking up the vehicle, and waiting with the pensioner while she got signed in and comfortable.
"They were both marvellous," Mrs Wells recalled.
"Mr Galloway rang the hospital and was told it would be a long time until an ambulance came out, and instead of just leaving me there on a bench, he took me.
"We arrived at the hospital and he got a wheelchair and took me into A&E, signed me in, and stayed with em for a while.
"I hope he didn't get in trouble for helping a 92-year-old woman in distress. In fact, I think Arriva should be very proud to employ such a good and thoughtful man.
"He was my guardian angel that day."
Widowed Mrs Wells' family were able to make contact with Mr Galloway via Facebook to thank him after seeing a post he had made about the incident.
She hopes she will be able to reunite with him soon to thank him in person, as well as find out who the female passenger was who also helped.
Mrs Wells was on her way into Maidstone town centre for a bit of Christmas shopping she still hasn't got round to doing.
Arriva has been approached for comment.
