We may not be able to comprehend the challenges faced by those who are wheelchair-bound, but we can certainly imagine how their lives must differ from ours. Unfortunately, our world is often ill-equipped for wheelchairs; even when a ramp replaces stairs that don’t always ensure ease of access. Everyday tasks such as opening doors, shopping, or driving take on an entirely new level of difficulty.
A beaming Francois Le Berre shared a photo of himself on Facebook, cheerily waiting at the bus stop in his wheelchair. The snap revealed that he is reliant upon mobility aid for transportation.
As he posted the picture, Le Berre detailed his experience at the bus stop in Paris. He had waited for the bus to arrive but when it did, none of its passengers were willing to shift around and create space for him and his wheelchair onboard.
Instead of driving off, leaving Le Berre behind with no room on the bus, this driver had a different idea. He kindly requested that all passengers disembark from the bus and then invited Le Berre as well as his brother who was waiting with him to board. Unfortunately for everyone else present, they would need to wait for another one since there wasn’t enough space left for them.
Comments on the post were overflowing with admiration for the bus driver, lauding him as “bravo” and expressing their appreciation of his compassionate behavior.
The bus driver chose to stay anonymous, but Le Berre spoke with the Huffington Post about what happened. He noted that the riders on board were “grumbling” when they were commanded by the operator to disembark; however, he also pointed out that their wait for another arriving coach would only be five minutes at most.
As the driver signaled to Le Berre that he could now board the bus, he mentioned, “everyone could need one, one day” in reference to the fact that a wheelchair could become necessary for anyone at some point.
Le Berre, who has multiple sclerosis and therefore uses a wheelchair, informed that he was not familiar with the bus driver nor had any further communication after his kind gesture. The bus driver admitted to Le Berre that he did not have anyone close in his life affected by disability but still felt it was “necessary to have a little civility.”
