By ANEEKA SIMONIS
A PAKENHAM mother of two recovering from a recent major health scare is in search of the mysterious man who may have saved her life.
Sam Davidson, 43, was almost completely immobilised during a sudden and shocking stroke she suffered while driving her five-year-old son Tadgh to kinder on Wednesday 10 June.
Luckily, the otherwise healthy mum had not turned out of Henty Park Estate onto the highway when she was struck by the terrifying symptoms which quickly deteriorated her mobility and speech.
In the moments between pulling over and losing her will to move and speak, Sam managed to call her boss – but couldn’t manage the words to urge her to send emergency services.
“I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t get the words out,” she recalled.
She doesn’t remember how she flagged him down, but she managed to get the attention of a man walking nearby who came to her aid.
“He managed to get to my phone and my boss found out through him where I was. She arranged an ambulance and he stayed with me the whole time until the ambulance arrived,” she recalled.
But due to her hazy recollection of the experience, Sam has no name or number to call to thank the man who may have saved her life.
“I want to thank him. I am pretty lucky to have come through with no major damage and am able to live a normal life again,” she said while acknowledging her future may not have looked so hopeful without the man’s help.
Sam suggested the man may be named Michael – but couldn’t be sure.
Her eldest son Kodie, 12, walked the streets of their estate soon after the incident in search of the man who helped his mum, but had not managed to find the man his family so desperately wanted to thank.
Sam’s mother Audrey McKinnes said she had a thing or two she’d like to say to the man as well.
“I was at work when it happened. I had a lot of missed calls on my phone from Sam, and when I called back a nurse answered and told me she had a stroke … I nearly had one myself,” she recalled.
“I’d like to give him a big hug. His actions helped her be here the same as she was today. If he hadn’t got to her in time, things may have been a lot worse.”Sam was transferred to hospital where doctors found two clots on her brain, one the size of a palm, Ms McKinnes said.
She is currently on her way to recovery, getting better each day.
“I’ve been improving every single day,” she said.
“I’ve been feeling tired and lethargic all the time, but it’s improving. I’ve got to do rehab exercises and I am doing them daily to strengthen my ride side … it was worse affected than my left.
“I am slowly rebuilding, but I didn’t lose a great deal of strength overall.”
If anyone has any information about the Good Samaritan who helped Sam, they are encouraged to get in contact with the Gazette.
