Rescued by Love: Surviving a Near-Death Experience

One day, a life-altering incident occurred that could have ended in tragedy, but I was miraculously saved. How did it happen?

It was the time when I used to work for my first IT company in Noida, India.

It was an ordinary day, much like any other. I left my home and reached the bus stop. I started waiting for a bus to my route. It seemed like there was a rush hour going on. Every bus that arrived for my route was packed to the brim with passengers.

I left two overcrowded buses, hoping that the next would be slightly less crowded. I glanced at my watch and realized that the time was slipping away. I was getting late to office.

I could feel the anxiety building within me.

Being late meant having to answer to HR and my manager, possibly resulting in a salary deduction. Why? Because according to the company policy, only three late arrivals were allowed per month, and this would have been my fourth.

Since buses on my route weren’t frequent, I made up my mind not to miss the next bus, no matter how crowded it was. Missing it would guarantee that I would be late for sure.

So, when I saw the next bus approaching the bus stop, I attempted to board from the rear door, despite its overcrowdedness. The bus was so packed that people were hanging onto the doors.

I somehow managed to secure one foot on the last step of the bus while gripping the door handle with one hand and the conductor’s window with the other.

Bus started moving, and I found myself still hanging precariously onto the door. On top of that, my office bag was weighing heavily on my shoulder.

While boarding, I hoped the conductor would make an effort to push people further inside the bus, allowing those on the steps to find more space inside.

However, it didn’t happen. The bus was so crowded that the conductor seemed to have given up after a few unsuccessful requests for people to move in.

On my route, there was a stretch between my stop and the next one, which included a flyway spanning approximately 9 km.

As the bus traveled along that stretch, I began to feel pain in my hands. Because I was still hanging outside the bus with a few individuals ahead of me.

These individuals were more secure than me as both their feet were on the bus’ doorsteps. I was the only person with one of my foot still hanging in the air.

I was struggling on the door, giving relief to my hands by occasionally switching them on the door handle—grabbing the handle with one hand, providing a brief respite to the other hand, and then grabbing the handle again.

Minutes passed, and the bus continued on the flyway. As it reached the midpoint of that stretch, the pain in my hands grew further. I was not an athletic person, so my stamina was waning with every passing moment.

Anxiety consumed me, and negative thoughts flooded my mind.

Given the rush hour traffic, the road was filled with vehicles. If my hands were to slip somehow, I wouldn’t survive the fall due to the oncoming vehicles trailing behind the bus. As it was a flyway, the speed of the vehicles was faster than usual. So, there are higher chances of a fatal outcome.

Panic-stricken, I shouted at the people inside the bus to push themselves further in, so that those hanging onto the door could find more space. People tried, but they couldn’t budge even an inch, and I couldn’t find a safer position for myself.

Now, I was fearing more for myself.

After hanging on for several minutes, the pain in my arms became unbearable, as if someone were tearing them apart from my body.

It was a terrifying moment. I started thinking about death more and more, and questioning whether to give up or not. I believed I wouldn’t be able to save myself that day.

But then, on the verge of losing hope and giving up, thoughts of my loved ones flooded my mind. The faces of my wife, parents, and siblings flashed before me.

Questions and thoughts were pouring in my mind like:

“How would my wife survive without me? How deeply would she be hurt? She wouldn’t be able to bear it.”

“How would my parents and siblings feel? They would experience immense pain.”

I envisioned their tear-stained faces, and a profound ache surged in my heart. A nauseating feeling.

At that moment, I resolved to hold on for just a few more minutes until the bus reached to the next bus stop. I couldn’t die that day. My loved ones needed me, and I loved them with all my heart.

These thoughts infused me with a renewed strength, and I summoned every ounce of willpower and energy in my body to keep hanging onto the bus door.

Finally, the bus arrived at the next stop, and I breathed a deep sigh of relief. I could finally relax my aching and numb arms. For a moment, I couldn’t even move my fingers.

Fortunately, some individuals alighted from the bus, creating some space inside. I moved further up and offered a prayer of gratitude to God.

I was grateful on feeling alive again. I was grateful that I would be able to see my loved ones again.

Why am I Mentioning This Incident?

My near-death experience taught me that love has the power to save. I was saved because of the strong emotions and love I felt for my loved ones. Those emotions gave me the strength necessary to survive.

If I hadn’t cared about them, I would have given up, and that incident could have turned into a tragedy.

Whenever you face despair in life, remind yourself that there is still hope.

Many times, you may feel like giving up due to various reasons. However, you should never lose hope, as there will always be someone who needs you. You can still rise up again and restart your life.

If you indulge yourself in your sudden grief, struggles, or relationship issues, you won’t be able to look beyond your own pain and discomfort.

However, if you think deeply, you will realise that there are still people in your life who love you and are ready to help you unconditionally, such as your parent(s) or maybe someone else.

Live for your loved ones. Work hard for them. Cherish every moment spent with them.