A simple act of kindness to a disabled and elderly man has led to 19-year-old Lillyan Williams being hailed a hero who citizens should try to emulate.
Williams, a part-time employee of JTA Supermarket at Cross Crossing, San Fernando, was photographed on Monday feeding a wheelchair-bound customer, known only as Mr Deoraj from Tarouba. But that was not all, Williams had earlier picked up all the items on Deoraj's grocery list and even waited with him outside the supermarket until he was picked up by the Elderly and Differently-abled Mobile (ELDAMO) bus service to take him home.
A collage of photos posted to Facebook by Kiran Sankar was shared 2,146 times by 5.25 pm yesterday and had 1,252 comments in praise of her kindness.
Speaking at her workplace yesterday, Williams said helping the elderly and differently-abled comes naturally, as she used to help her mother, a geriatric nurse, with her patients. She encouraged others to help senior citizens and the differently-abled, as they too can be in need of help one day.
Williams has only been employed at the supermarket for two weeks and goes to school on evenings. Monday was the first time she had seen Deoraj and was happy she made a new friend, who she said was quite jolly and told a lot of jokes.
"I was walking in the lane when I saw him. He called out to me and I asked if he needed help. He can't speak fluently, but he said yes and reached into his pouch for a list. I took it out for him and one of the cashiers told me that he was here to make groceries so I helped him out," Williams recalled,
"We went through all the aisles together and picked out what he wanted. After he cashed, I took him outside because Nikita told me a special bus would come to pick him up at 1 pm. We were talking and he said he was hungry, so I took out a sandwich and a juice he had in a pouch and fed him."
Williams seemingly became an overnight celebrity once the photos were posted online, but she didn't even know that someone took the photos until she got home that evening. It was a friend who sent her a snapshot of the Facebook post via Whatsapp that made her aware.
"I just want to see more people helping out senior citizens. If you see someone with a disability, help them. Many people watch and laugh at people in distress, but there are many people who would lend a hand," she said.
Purchasing officer Nikita Harrison said Deoraj has been a customer at JTA for the past eight years and would always be helped by the staff. Harrison said he even has a list of pharmaceutical items, which they also get for him at a nearby pharmacy. She described Williams as a helpful person who would go out of her way to help anyone.
"She is very soft spoken and we never had any problems with her, so basically she is a good all-rounder."
Store manager Stephanie Mc Burnie said the management was proud of Williams and hopes employees will follow her lead in making the extra effort for customers.
Singh: We need more like her
Former Independent senator and paraplegic Dr Kriyaan Singh says T&T would be a better country if there were more people like Williams.
Singh, a veterinarian, left his practice yesterday to visit Williams and present her with a cash gift as a gratitude on behalf of himself and the wider differently-abled population.
"We must realise that a person with disability is still a person and not only that, but one day we can also be a disabled person too. I was not born with a disability, I did not have the same liking to deal with issues like this," Singh said.
"Now that I am in it, I recognise how important it is for the inclusion of people who are not disabled to assist their fellow men whether they have a disability or not."
He added, "I think it is an example for all generations: For the youth, the over 18, the adults. I think if we can get more people like her in Trinidad and Tobago to display this humanity, Trinidad and Tobago will be a much better place."
San Fernando mayor Kazim Hosein also thanked Williams for displaying such a level of kindness to a fellow citizen in need.
