The Day A Stranger Saved Me

Sometimes, superheroes aren’t our friends, siblings, or even our parents. 

Sometimes, they are a complete stranger — someone who appears out of nowhere and changes everything, and I mean every single thing. 

My graduation day had finally come — the long awaited day. Excitement kept me awake the night before as I imagined being called a senior student. I couldn’t wait to wear the beautiful dress my grandma had gifted me and step into my senior student era.

That morning, I woke up before everyone else, so happy and eager to get ready. But when I checked the reservoir, I realized that there was no water left for my bath.

 If I wanted to prepare for my big day, I had to fetch some water.

It was too early to wake our neighbor who had a water pump, so I had only one option: the nearby river.

Without thinking twice about it, I grabbed my bucket, slipped on my clothes and the slippers my mother had recently bought for me, and walked to the river. 

On my way, I was so excited that I swung my arms and played with the beads in my braids, already picturing how I’d style my very cute hair.

From stranger to superhero

When I reached the river, I rolled up my trousers so they wouldn’t get wet and stepped into the cool water. In a few seconds, I carefully filled my bucket and turned to leave. However, just as I took two steps forward, my right slipper slipped off and floated away. 

Oh my God, I was so scared and panicked.

My mother had warned me not to lose or destroy my slippers because she wouldn’t buy me a new pair anytime soon. Without thinking twice about it, I dropped my bucket and rushed to grab my floating slipper.

That was a mistake.

Before I realized it, the water had already swept me off my feet. Gosh, it was not funny.

I kicked, struggled and struggled, reaching for anything to hold onto, but nothing was within my grasp, and I didn’t know how to swim at that time. 

(Incidentally, I am now an expert swimmer, and I’m sure I could compete in the Olympics if I wanted to).

The harder I fought, the deeper the river pulled me. Water rushed into my lungs. My legs became weak. I couldn’t fight anymore.

 Just as I was about to give up, a man — a stranger, my superhero — jumped into the river.

I barely saw him before his strong hands grabbed mine. I was too weak to hold on, so he pulled me out of the water and carried me to the shore.

I sat there, shaking, confused, and scared. Tears filled my eyes, not just because I had almost drowned, but also because my slipper was gone. 

My mother would be upset because she had already warned me not to go to the river alone, but I never listened. There was nothing left to do but return home and prepare for the day.

My superhero walked me back. Our house was only a short distance from the river. When we arrived, my mother was angry, but also filled with gratitude.  

I was alive and not dead. She thanked my superhero repeatedly in Yoruba (a major language in Nigeria), saying, “Ese gan ni.” She invited him to dinner that same day, but he never showed up.

As soon as he left, she turned to me, and let’s just say that I received the beating of my life.

After that, she sent my older brother back to the same river to fetch water so I could finally bathe and prepare for my graduation.

 I tried, tried really hard, but no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t feel the excitement anymore. The long-awaited day had turned out to be one of the saddest of my life at the time.

(Image courtesy of Gabriel Bassino on Unsplash)

A stranger’s kindness can change everything

Looking back to that day, I realize that sometimes, the people who save us aren’t the ones we expect. It’s not always family or friends. Sometimes, it’s a complete stranger.

And just like how my superhero saved me, we, too, can be someone else’s superhero.

While my graduation day did not go as planned, and I felt sadness from it all, I am still grateful for the man who saved my life. He taught me that we should care for each other and be kind to each other, even when we are strangers.

Because kindness isn’t limited to those we know, and these acts of kindness can make the world a better place.