What makes people become Samaritans?
My grandma died on Christmas morning. My mum had just arrived at her care home ready to enjoy a festive lunch with her and as she pulled up outside, she saw an ambulance. She asked the driver if it was my grandma and it was. She asked if she could go in the ambulance but they said no, they needed to go on blue lights and she'd have to follow behind.
It was a huge heart attack, she died in the ambulance. My mum arrived at the hospital and spent 2 hours talking to her before feeling very alone. She didn't want to call me, she knew it would upset our family christmas especially with me being so close to my grandma. She called the Samaritans. They were there for her. She told me after the children had gone to bed. As you can imagine I was very upset.
Afterwards I felt guilty that she had been so alone, had to deal with this alone, she was totally isolated, no partner and she didn't want to tell her children. The Samaritans were there for her. I thank these nameless people for their support to her. I wonder what makes someone do such a charitable thing especially on Christmas day? To support someone else in their time of need, truly generous people.
I'm not sure I could do their job, how do they insulate themselves from other people's upset, grief, sadness?
The only way I felt I could say thank you to them was to make a donation, to keep their service running. I truly am grateful to whoever they are, for being there for my mum.