A REDDITCH woman who stepped in to help an elderly woman in need has been hailed a lifesaver.
When Sandi Hunt became unwell and went missing in Redditch last Friday, she was confused, disorientated and found wandering near a busy town traffic island.
As cars zoomed past onto the busy Coventry Highway, a passerby saw the 73-year-old Alzheimer’s sufferer and rushed to the rescue.
Nikki Stearman stopped her car near the MacDonald’s roundabout raced to Sandi then took her up to Redditch Police Station.
And that’s not all.
Nikki got in touch with Sandi’s daughter, Keely Richmond-Smith, to check up on her mum and explain exactly what had happened.
“We were all totally blown away by her kindness,” said Keely.
“Mum has a GPS tracker, which she always wears, but on this occasion, it had stopped working. We had no idea where she was.
“As a family we are immensely grateful to this ‘stranger’.”
The good Samaritan then told the family she was interested in pairing up with Sandi as a ‘Dementia Friend’.
This would involve regular get-togethers with dementia support group members for coffee and cake as a way of supporting lonely and vulnerable people.
“That she even came to check up on my mum is one thing but to want to form a special and lasting friendship with her is incredible,” added Keely.
“We believe she was Heaven sent, a true angel who stopped to help my mum that day when so many others failed to stop or notice.
“It has restored my faith in humanity. For vulnerable people, a simple act of kindness can literally save a life.”
Nikki added: “To me, it was quite an ordinary thing to do. I couldn’t have driven past ad done nothing – it seemed only natural to help out.
“I’m very flattered that Sandi’s family think I’ve done something special – but I just did what my instincts told me to.”
Sandi is now on the mend, thanks mainly to Nikki, who the family have dubbed the Blue Angel, due to her colourful hair and kind nature.
