SMRT staff step up to help elderly commuter with Parkinson's at Bayfront MRT station: 'We had to act fast'
For four SMRT staff, what began as a routine shift turned into an act of teamwork and compassion as they came together to help an elderly commuter in distress. Speaking to AsiaOne on Tuesday (Oct 27), senior station manager Abdul Rahman, 38, recalled how he stepped in to assist a man with Parkinson's disease after being alerted to a commuter who appeared unwell at Bayfront MRT station on Oct 15 at around 4pm. "A contractor from Marina Bay Sands came to the passenger service counter asking for medical assistance for someone unwell and we spotted an Indian man in his late 60s in a motorised wheelchair who was trembling vigourously," said Rahman. Recognising that the man needed help, Rahman alerted his colleagues, senior assistant manager Muhammad Faris, 29, and assistant manager Suhaimi bin Mohamad, 36. "We knew we had to act fast if he was unwell so we spoke to the man and he shared that he has Parkinson's and that he hadn't taken his medication," said Faris, adding that the team brought the man to a safe spot and bought him a meal.