“In Liverpool, there is a kindness in people’s hearts”
A man visiting Liverpool for the Reds’ recent clash against Chelsea has praised the “very kind-hearted gentleman” who bandaged his wound after he fell in the city centre. Frank Franklin, 80, who is originally from Old Swan but moved to Canada 58 years ago, was in the city last Monday, October 21, when the incident occurred.
He told the ECHO: “I’ve lived in Canada for quite a while and so have my two brothers. We watch Liverpool on the TV and we’re always sending messages backwards and forwards. When we meet up, we say: ‘Wouldn’t it be really good to go over and watch a game?’
“Anyway, we made it happen and came over on the Friday before the Chelsea match. We did all the touristy type things. It was a great experience and I’ve seen tremendous change in Liverpool – the downtown core is as good as you will see anywhere in the world.
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“We’d been out for dinner on the Monday night and we were walking down Wood Street – we were down there because my two brothers went to a college on Colquitt Street. As we were walking down the street, my foot must have slipped off the curb and I fell heavy, banging my glasses into my eyes and cutting my eyebrow.”
After his fall, Frank’s brother rushed into the Swan Inn to see if he could find a bag of ice for his wound. Frank continued: “When he returned with the ice, a man followed him out and asked if he could have a look. He took me back into the pub, sat me down and proceeded to provide me with what turned out to be first class treatment.
“He skilfully closed the wound to my eyebrow and applied adhesive closure strips which stopped the bleeding. His treatment has turned out to be as good a job as had I gone to an emergency room.
“I remember, when he’d finished he told me to get to a hospital if I had a headache. We shook hands and I thanked him and left. He was a real gentleman and a very kind-hearted gentleman.”
Frank added: “It’s only later that I realised I was very lucky to have someone like that who was willing to help. I didn’t manage to get his name and that’s the sadness of it. It all happened so fast and I think I was a little bit shaken up.
“He did a really good job, from a medical point of view, but he also showed so much kindness just to help anyone. He came out of the pub, took me back in and looked after me – it really touched me.
“In Liverpool, there is a kindness in people’s hearts. How often do you meet someone like that, who’s having a quiet pint and then comes to the aid of a stranger?
“The kindness of strangers is something we don’t look for but when it’s offered, as it was in my case, it was really appreciated. Somewhere in Liverpool is a man who has a good knowledge of first aid, the willingness to help others and the kindness to help a fellow stranger.”
