A kind-hearted paramedic who paid for the meal of a Dundee woman after she collapsed in a restaurant has been hailed a hero.
Laura Small and her mum Irene Knight were enjoying their regular Wednesday lunch date at local eatery Papa Jacques when Irene took unwell.
Soon after, paramedics arrived to give the 82-year-old emergency attention, before rushing her to Ninewells Hospital for further treatment.
With Laura accompanying her mum in the ambulance she only realised hours later they had not settled the bill due to the emergency.
However, she was soon left dumbfounded when staff at the Broughty Ferry restaurant informed her that one of the paramedics insisted on paying for the couple’s meals.
Kind gesture
“I just couldn’t believe it when I was told,” said Laura.
“We go out for lunch every week and when we got there mum complained of feeling unwell.
I was dumfounded when they said a paramedic had insisted on settling our bill, saying ‘everyone is struggling just now’.”
Laura Small
“When she collapsed, the staff called an ambulance straight away and paramedics arrived a short time later to assist my mum.
“Accompanying her to hospital, it was only later on after my mum was discharged that I realised we’d not paid the restaurant.
“So I got straight on the phone, only to be told about the lovely gesture.
“I was dumfounded when they said a paramedic had insisted on settling our bill, saying ‘everyone is struggling just now’.
“And he did so despite the owner telling him he didn’t have to.”
Appeal to find kind-hearted paramedic
With only a first name of Kieran to go by, Laura then set out to find the big-hearted paramedic so she could thank him personally.
“I only had his first name but I knew I had to try to find him,” Laura explained.
“I put out an appeal on Facebook and it was a friend who works for the ambulance service who eventfully put me in touch with Kieran Hughes.”
Kieran is a member of the Scottish Ambulance Service’s special operations response team (SORT) based in Dundee.
And it was Kieran who got the original call to attend the emergency.
“He said he was only doing his job and that he was glad to have helped in such a difficult time,” added Laura.
“He didn’t even want any money.
“Kieran just asked me to drop in a box of biscuits to the Dundee ambulance service.
“He also joked that his colleagues had been asking about it after word got out about him digging deep to pay the bill.
“It was the least I could do for such an amazing person, who along with his colleague, Ryan Paeth, went way over and beyond just doing their jobs.”
And the paramedic pair will soon be dining out themselves, as recognition of the kind act.
‘Above and beyond just doing his job’
“I’ve since been contacted by Mike Mackay, owner of Papa Jacques, who was equally amazed by Kieran’s generosity, ” said Laura.
“Mike’s kindly given me a £30 gift voucher for Kieran and Ryan to come and enjoy a free lunch.
“It just shows you that despite all the bad things going on, there is still some good.
“It’s such a lovely gesture that me and mum will always remember.”
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