A stranger's care transcends a language barrier

Originally appeared on spirituality.com

My elderly Iranian parents have managed to live in New York City for over twenty years without speaking English. My sister lives several hours away and I live in London. So when a car backed into them as they crossed the street near their apartment in November of 2004 they felt a million miles from home and family. Critically injured, they were rushed to an intensive care unit.

It would take my sister several hours to travel to the hospital, and it would be five days before I could travel to see my parents. I immediately took comfort in prayer since there was nothing else I could do.

Fortunately, an “angel” was already with them at the scene. Maria, who had just moved to New York from Argentina, witnessed the accident. She rushed to help. It didn’t matter to her that my parents couldn’t speak English—she still reached out to reassure and comfort my parents until the ambulance arrived. And then she insisted on riding with them to the hospital. Disorientated and confused, my parents clung to Maria as she embraced them with her love and gentleness.

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