Walker who came to Sheffield woman's aid after she fell and broke her leg on Redmires Reservoirs 'amazed' by thanks
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Rachel Barker, 41, from Nether Edge, stayed with walker Helen Jane White until an ambulance arrived, after she fractured her leg and dislocated her ankle when she fell while walking down the bottom dam in Fulwood on February 11.
The 41-year-old who was out walking her eight-year-old Golden Retriever Murray the same afternoon, had first passed the nurse from Lodge Moor when she was walking up a steep section of the reservoir that was particularly slippy and exchanged pleasantries.
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Hide AdA few moments later Rachel heard Helen call out for help after she slipped on a patch of ice and rushed to her side.
She said: “I turned around and [Helen] was sitting on the floor in an awkward position so I obviously went over to her.
"When someone is shouting 'help, help help' it's obviously something serious so straight away I just went straight to her and helped her."
Rachel took off one of her jackets and wrapped it around Helen’s broken leg until medical professionals arrived at the scene, while a friendly jogger who worked for Edale Mountain Rescue Team alerted emergency workers for help and another man with a dog also offered assistance.
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Hide AdThe 41-year-old immediately called 999 and despite temperatures dropping to -4°C, she stayed with the hospital nurse until the mountain rescue team could lift her down from the hill and into the ambulance, around two hours later.
"I didn't feel obliged but it's just human nature to make sure someone is ok even despite the fact there were people there helping her", Rachel added.
"She seemed like a nice lady and I just wanted to chat to her to take her mind off things a little bit.”
Weeks later, Helen, who is currently on bed rest while her leg and ankle heals, launched an appeal on social media to try and track Rachel down to thank her for her kindness.
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Hide AdA friend of the 41-year-old’s saw the social media post and put the two women in contact, where they then had a conversation over the phone.
The quantity surveyor said: "I was quite amazed actually because it just felt like good, old fashioned gratitude.
"Obviously social media is all modern but it's almost like reaching out in the modern way to thank someone.
"I was quite amazed actually, quite humbled that someone would take the time to say thanks even though she had already said thank you when she was on the floor.
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Hide Ad"It obviously meant quite a lot to her that someone was there.
"She was quite blown away I think that I had contacted her and she was a little bit emotional because it was a tough time she had gone through since.”
Rachel also praised the What Three Words app – which helps people to identify their precise location on a map – for helping her communicate to the ambulance service where exactly Helen had fallen.