A Minnesota trooper pulled over a doctor for speeding. Then he gave her his N95 medical masks
On March 27, Dr. Sarosh Ashraf Janjua took to Facebook to share an experience she recently had that demonstrated the kindness in humanity that still exists today.
Janjua was driving on I-35 in Minnesota that weekend when a local trooper pulled her over for speeding.
She was fully prepared to get a ticket but instead, something amazing happened.
The trooper asked her what she was doing all the way out in Minnesota after seeing her Massachusetts license plate, so she explained to him that she worked as a locums cardiologist so she travels to Minnesota every month.
“He went back to his patrol car to look up my license, and when he returned, quite firmly told me it was very irresponsible of me to be speeding, especially since I would not only take up resources if I got into an accident, but would also not be in a position to help patients,” Janjua wrote.
After this, Janjua waited for the ticket that she knew she deserved. But she never got one. Instead, she was let off with a warning.
As the doctor tried to maintain her grace and thoroughly apologize for recklessly speeding, the trooper handed her what she assumed was her license… But it was something else.
Turns out the trooper wasn’t handing her license back — it was something much bulkier.
The trooper actually gave Janjua five N95 masks, which were initially given to him from the state for his very own protection.
Healthcare workers all over the world are experiencing serious struggles during the COVID-19 crisis. They are working tirelessly day and night, putting their own lives at risk to save others, and sadly, running out of resources.
This is why the gift of an N95 mask has so much meaning. Doctors everywhere are running low on them and they are the tool that keeps them safe when dealing with infected patients.
For someone to give up their mask to someone else is possibly one of the most generous and kind things they can do right now.
“I burst into tears,” Janjua continued. “And though it may just have been the cold wind, I think he teared up a little as well, before wishing me well and walking away.”
“Like all healthcare workers and emergency responders around the world, I have felt afraid of not having adequate protective equipment, and in my darkest moments, have worried about what would happen if I fell sick far from home.”
It’s an especially tough situation for a worker like Janjua, who isn’t always near home when she is caring for others. Once you are infected, it is important to distance yourself from others since the virus is highly contagious. If she got sick, she probably wouldn’t be able to see her family. Even worse, it might be hard for her to seek the help she would need in order to recover.
“This complete stranger, who owed me nothing and is more on the front lines than I am, shared his precious masks with me, without my even asking,” she wrote. “The veil of civilization may be thin, but not all that lies behind it is savage.”
Janjua finished by saying this: “We are going to be ok.” And you know what? We agree. With the help and generosity from strangers like the trooper that pulled her over that day, we might just come out on top.
See her Facebook post below.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
https://www.facebook.com/sarosh.janjua/posts/10163167858590117