Lee Nordhoff

Said the following about Ken Milligan:

“Ken spotted a distressed lady on board a train and made an intervention, I think the email he sent to Mr Tollerton of the Samaritans best describes his amazing actions that day.

Hi Steve.

Hope you are keeping well. You probably don’t remember me but I came on one of your courses at Network Rail, Callaghan Square in Cardiff a short while ago. I’m a Mobile Ops Manager at Port Talbot.

I thought you would like to know that your work wasn’t in vain.

Last week I was travelling up to London and I slowly became aware of a lady on the seat in front, who I’d smiled at when I got on, becoming more & more unsettled by phone calls & text messages she was making & receiving. I started to keep an eye on her as she deteriorated and by the time we got further I could see through the gap in the seats that she was beside herself. I was also aware of a look of complete dejection & defeat in her eyes.

She was crying by now and facing the window in the aisle seat – I was in the window seat behind so could see her diagonally. As we left the station I leant forward and just said, “Are you ok, you seem to have the weight of the world on your shoulders?” She looked at me and said, “No, not at all.” So I got her to come back and sit with me and she proceeded to cry the rain. I held her hand while she tried to speak about things but she was too upset so I comforted her, tried to make small-talk and kept her breathing when she was on the edge. She wanted to get to home to pick up her little girl by 6 o’clock. She kept on repeating “Please don’t let me go down to the Underground.” I kept telling her that I wouldn’t.

I told her that we would stay on the train when everyone got off; she wasn’t able to make any decisions for herself by now. When the passengers started leaving, I asked one of them to alert the Conductor. After a while he arrived and we decided the best thing was to call the Police. I thought that wasn’t going to go well but, to be fair, they were very good. They explained that they were going to Section her for her own safety and that they would make arrangements for her daughter; which they did.

We then went over to the Police room on Paddington Station to await the arrival of an ambulance. By now most of an hour had passed. I stayed with her for another hour or so waiting for the ambulance, as she found the whole Police thing very intimidating. By the time they took her she was exhausted.

A very nice lady who just had some bad situations all arriving on a bad day – a Perfect Storm I think you called it.

So thank you for giving me the confidence to act as it really did make a difference on this occasion. She sent me this message:

“Hi Ken. Just really wanted to say thank you for everything you did yesterday. I quite probably wouldn't be here if you hadn't bothered to ask if everything was OK. Thank you so much for bothering to care and for everything you did. Your kindness meant ever so much”.“