41 years after, man meets nurse who helped him recover from coma on Facebook
In what could have been a script straight out of a Zeeworld romantic comedy, this is the remarkable story of how a man met a nurse who tended him back to health 41 years after the event in 1979.
The man, Nubi Achebo had gone on to a Facebook group The Nigerian Nolstagia Group 1960 -80 to ask for assistance in locating the angel who took care of him as a student who lost consciousness in a road accident.
Hear him:
“It was September 1979. I was going into my year 3 in UNIFE after holidaying with my Uncle Felix Achebo in Benin City. Ordinarily, I would take a vehicle going to Ife through another route but because of vehicle scarcity, I ended up taking one from Benin through Owo to Ife.
“Close to Owo, the unthinkable happened. A taxi driver crossed the medium and struck our vehicle right behind the driver seat. I was sitting behind the driver. The next thing I knew, I was on a bed in Owo General Hospital. When I came to, I thought I was dead because I could only hear murmurs around me. Then it hit me that I was in an accident and my right hand was nearly severed from my body. I still carry a big scar of the wound point. I could see my bone when the dressing was being changed. Apart from my bad wound, I was coughing blood and spent 3 weeks in the hospital. Every September, I feel pains from the scar of the accident.
“I was far away from home. It took me almost a week to get through my Uncle. My cousin, Emma Udoh, was in the same vehicle and was unhurt – he ensured my luggage got to campus. Being away from any family members and no cash in pocket, I was in real bad shape. Enter Nurse Jumoke from Ile-Oluji, Ondo State.
“Unfortunately, I don’t rember her last name. She was the Nightingale that came to my rescue. She ensured I was fed well throughout my stay in the hospital and took special medical care of me even when she wasn’t on duty. It has been 41 years since then. I never had the opportunity to appreciate her kind gesture. I would like to locate her and thank her for her generosity.”
In a remarkable twist, the post went viral and members were soon to locate Nurse Jumoke, whose real name turned out to be Jumoke Akintan Adewole.
Now retired and a grandmother, Nurse Jumoke responded thusly barely 48 hours after the initial post:
She said: “Thanks for sharing, Mr. Nubi Achebo . My appreciation also goes to the organizers of this group for creating such an awesome platform for highlighting these stories.
“I’m very happy to read many of your comments on this story. Yesterday, someone sent the story to my son who forwarded it to me and I also received calls from friends who saw the story trending on FB. This immediately brought back memories of when I met Mr. Nubi Achebo on the hospital bed as a young nurse at the time. He was unconscious for a few days after the accident and seeing that he didn’t have any family member with him as he was on a trip back to the University of Ife, I stepped in to make sure he didn’t lack any medical supplies for his care.
“By the grace of God, I was able to organize food and other supplies as needed for him. I was very happy and grateful to God when he recovered fully and was discharged. I was only doing my job; I cared for him as I do all my patients. I pursued Nursing as a career because I love caring for people and I did this with the whole of my heart for 35 years and retired in 2014.
“Nubi Achebo, thanks again for sharing this story as it is undoubtedly one of the greatest highlights of my nursing career. Thanks also for your kind gestures! Please note that you keeping this memory and sharing it with the world is more than enough appreciation for me.
“Thanks everyone for your responses and kind comments. It’s my prayer that we all find the grace and courage to always do good to everyone that crosses our path.”
Wow! What a love story.
As at the time of publishing this story, the post had generated over 1,000 likes and almost 900 comments.
