79-year-old broke her leg on solo hike. Then a kind stranger carried her to safety on his back for hours
When it comes to helping, there’s no better way to do it except for reaching out whenever and however, one can. Sometimes, there’s only so much one can do to come to the aid of a person. However, at other times, opportunities to be a life-saver come disguised. When 79-year-old Ursula Bannister broke her leg midway through a hike, there was a pounding fear of what would happen next, per US Army. The elderly woman, unable to walk, was stranded alone. That’s when a stranger found his golden opportunity to offer complete help. U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Troy May came across Bannister in her helpless state and didn’t think for a second what his response would be.
Sharing how she found herself in the situation, Bannister revealed that she was well-versed with the area, having laid her mother’s ashes there. “I know the trail very well, and there are always many people there. When I couldn’t find anyone to accompany me on this outing, I just went by myself,” she explained. As she went along, she encountered a shallow hole, and in went her leg. “By the time I sat up, my foot was pointing the wrong way. I knew right away I had broken my leg,” she said, per The Washington Post. After several vain attempts to get up, she realized she needed help. The woman immediately called out for help as best as she could and hikers bravely rushed in. That’s where May came into the picture. After locating the woman, the man rushed with his friend Layton Allen and a few others to help her.
Seeing that she was completely unable to walk, he decided to carry her on his back, the old-school way. “My first thought was if I could carry her down, I should carry her down and get her there as quickly as I can,” he recalled. The man kept encouraging Bannister as they made their way down, helping to ease her pain. Allen also offered to carry Bannister halfway through. “Once we got down, we loaded her into her car, elevated her foot, and started driving to the hospital,” May said. They iced her foot and provided all the necessary immediate care they had at hand.
On arriving at the hospital, they patiently waited for her son to arrive. When all was done, Bannister was on her way. However, a few days later, the woman ensured she called May to let him know how grateful she was for all the help. May was rewarded for his selfless and thoughtful actions. His astute and brave response kept Bannister from further trouble and danger. He received a medal for his outstanding work. “One of the Air Force’s core values is service before self, and Airman 1st Class May exemplified that core value with his actions,” said Lt. Col. Joshua Clifford, 62nd AMXS commander. “I truly felt that these two guys were meant to be there to save me, and that sort of swam in my subconscious at the time. I considered them my angels,” Bannister exclaimed.