A security guard has been hailed as a hero after helping a woman whose mobility scooter had broken down at the side of a busy North East road.
Gary Underwood, 60, from Hebburn, assisted grandma-of-two, Carol McDonald, 49, after her mobility scooter and phone ran out of charge as she got lost trying to find her way home on April 23.
Gary, who has been working as a security guard at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) Headquarters for over 20 years.
Carol, of Sunderland, said she was extremely grateful for Gary's help in what was a scary situation for her.
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She said: "If it wasn’t for Gary I don’t know what could’ve happened to me!
“I didn’t know what to do when the scooter ran out of charge after I’d taken a wrong turn. To be honest I started to panic when I realised I couldn’t contact my family as my mobile phone had also died,” said Carol.
“I was really upset as I didn’t know what to do. It was freezing by the roadside as the evening had started to settle in. Fortunately, a couple of motorists had stopped to ask if I was okay, and it was one of them who kindly notified Gary.
“It was a definite sense of relief when Gary came over to help me as I didn’t know how I was going to get out of the worrying situation.
“In this day and age it’s lovely to know that people like Gary are still out there who care for others and are willing to go over and above the call of duty.”
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The ordeal began when Carol made the journey from her home to her daughter’s place of work in Washington.
She had partially charged up her scooter during a catch-up cuppa and then started her journey back to Sunderland.
Gary was beginning his usual nightshift at the Fire Service’s training centre in Barmston Mere when he noticed Carol stranded after her battery had run out.
Speaking on the event, Gary said: “It can be a very busy road – I just wanted to make sure she [Carol] was safe.
"We were doing our security shift handover when someone mentioned a lady on a mobility scooter was seen to be upset near to the building’s back gates.
"So I immediately went out to see if I could help in anyway
“When I got to Carol she was understandably distressed and panicking. She explained that she’d become lost and disorientated after taking a wrong turn.
“Both her scooter and mobile phone had subsequently ran out of charge at the same time so she couldn’t call her family for help and was stranded at the side of the road.”
Gary, originally from Jarrow, works for the Support Services Group (SSG) – which has a regional office in Sunderland.
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He is husband to Pauline. The couple have recently celebrated 40 years of marriage, and they have three children and four grandchildren.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Peter Heath, said: “We are so pleased to hear that Carol is safely back with her family after the kind-hearted gesture made by Gary.
“Gary is a friendly face that greets fire service staff and visitors to our Service Headquarters, and the compassion and warmth he has shown to Carol and her family should be greatly applauded.”
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