Having an unprovoked seizure is a terrifying event. Although many of us will (luckily) never experience one, Health Line reports that 1 in 100 Americans will have an unprovoked seizure at some point in their lifetime. When a seizure occurs, Epilepsy.com explains that an individual can experience a loss of awareness, loss of consciousness and/or memory lapses.
In 2015, a 27-year-old acupuncture student named Ellie Farnfield experienced her first unprovoked seizure while traveling from Redhill, Surrey, to Victoria station in Westminster.
One minute, she’s en route to the station— the next, she is waking up on a train bench with absolutely no recollection of how she got there or how much time has passed.
As Ellie tries to collect herself and make sense of the events, she notices a note lying beside her. She doesn’t recognize the penmanship and doesn’t know who it is from, but it’s clear it has been left for her.
She unfolds the mysterious letter and begins to read:
“Hi, Eleanor. I hope by the time you read this you are feeling better. You had a seizure on the train and I took you off. You didn’t hit your head, but I may have hurt your leg as I walked on it before realizing you were on the floor having a fit! Sorry! I’m also sorry I can’t stay with you now, but here is a coffee to perk you up later and £10 to make sure you get a taxi home. Sorry, I don’t have any more money, so I hope you don’t live far away. I’ve contacted people from your phone and medical help is on its way and you’re with train staff. Wishing you all the best and a quick recovery. Love Tom.”
Ellie is both shocked and grateful. She looks around to find Tom, the mysterious man who had helped her— but he is nowhere in sight.
Later, Ellie takes to social media to describe the events and the good-hearted man who had come to her rescue in an unexpected time of need. She writes, in part:
“Faith restored in humanity in London last night. Thank you so much to everyone who helped me last night— especially Tom. Would love to try and find this man so I can return his money and add many, many thanks to it!!”
Ellie tells the Daily Mail, “Anything could have happened. I could have hit my head, fallen off the train, been there for a long time […] If I meet him, drinks are on me.”
Ellie’s post and her hunt for Tom quickly went viral, even inspiring a #FindTrainTom hashtag on Twitter.
#FindtrainTom such a nice story. Tom seems like a good guy. Maybe he didn’t need a thank you, just did it out of kindness.
— Dave Evers ?? (@IrishDaveE) September 6, 2016
#findtraintom I don’t think Tom wanted to be found.His name may not even be Tom.
— SirCliveTheRed (@CliveinEngland) August 21, 2016
Has anyone managed to #findtraintom yet? This could end very well for them both!
— andrew branton (@AndyBranton84) June 23, 2016
Unfortunately, however, it seems that the power of social media failed in the hunt, as no news of Tom resurfacing has ever been publicized.
Although it’s been 2 years since the initial events, Ellie’s story has been recirculating, and, as a result, the hunt for Tom persists.
If you know a kindhearted man named Tom who may have been traveling to Victoria station in October of 2015, please let us know!
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