On Tuesday, I was riding my bike home on Winchester in the bike lane, and when I came to the signal light to cross I accidentally hit a curb and I flew off my bike and landed on my knee. I was in shock laying there praying to God that I did not break anything especially because in over a week we are leaving for a biking trip in Amsterdam and all I could think of is if there’s something wrong here then my husband and I are not going.

A man pulled up and rolled down his window and asked if I needed help. I didn’t know what to say I think I was just lying there in so much shock and then I heard him say, "I’m going to pull over,  I’ll be right there!" When I saw him walking over to me I went into more shock because I saw he had on medical scrubs and I thought “Oh my God!” 

As soon as he came over he asked me if there was any part of me that was hurting and I told him that I had fallen on my knee and so he suggested that he try to help me up and let’s see what happened. He helped me get up and I was able to walk a little bit and Mark said that that was a good sign and so he had me walk back-and-forth a little bit. My knee was hurting but the fact that he told me that it was a good sign took some of the fear and the shock down a little bit and gave me some hope. Mark suggested that I could come over and get an x-ray where he worked at El Camino Hospital on Pollard!

I asked him again and he reassured me that even though he could not confirm the fact that nothing was broken he said that it was good that I could walk on it. He wanted to give me a ride but I told him if I can walk I’m going to try to get back on the bike which I did and it was a short distance so I rode over to El Camino Hospital. 

When I arrived, a woman came out and when I explained what was going on she said “Oh yes” like she knew already and brought me in and when I went to sit down I had another moment of “Oh My God” because there was Mark standing in the doorway and said, “I’m glad you made it over we’re going to take care of you!” 

So while I’m sitting there scared and in some discomfort at the same time I’m thinking to myself I could not be more blessed as Mark actually worked in the ER where I was going!  I had no idea, I thought he just worked in the hospital part! 

The process could not have been smoother. Years ago I had a situation where I ended up there and so the girl pulled all the information and Mark brought me in, put me in a bed and within a short period I was brought into the x-ray room. By the way, the technician in the x-ray room was so sweet and very supportive. Then they brought me back to the bed and within another short period the doctor came in and gave me the good news that nothing was broken.

At that point, I just broke down crying and I told her all about the experience that Mark had helped me and that when I was so scared how very supportive he was!
It was a humorous moment as well because the doctor told me Mark had left on his break to go get gas in his car and apparently he had come out of the gas station and was driving and that’s when he saw me. 

I remember saying, “Thank God Mark needed gas.” I will tell you that when people do something that they don’t have to do it is the most blessed gift a person could have. In looking back can you imagine being in shock and scared after flying off your bike and here comes someone that gives you help and hope!

Mark gave me hope and he was so supportive. I cannot tell you how many people I have already told the story to and every one of them has referred to Mark as an angel in disguise. 

Mark is a DAISY Nurse for such a generous caring act of kindness as it speaks volumes to me about the person that he is!  Thank you so much.