Basketball had always been a great passion of mine, even though I wasn’t particularly skilled at playing. However, an unfortunate accident resulted in a broken ankle, leading to corrective surgery and a recovery period that saw me on crutches for several months. This sudden change made mundane tasks, like getting to work or running errands, extremely challenging, although ordering groceries online provided some relief.
At the time, I lived in a unit with a view of a park, where a group of local teenagers often gathered after school under a tree. While they were sometimes disruptive, engaging in activities like smoking or spray painting, they mostly seemed harmless. Nonetheless, I felt anxious about confronting them in my vulnerable state on crutches, especially during my first outing to the corner store for milk.
As I cautiously made my way past the teens that day, one of them called out to me. Assuming it was a taunt, I pressed on. However, a few of them quickly approached and offered to carry my bag to my doorstep. Hesitant yet grateful, I accepted their assistance.
Throughout my recovery, these teenagers became unexpectedly supportive. Each time I crutched past them, they would inquire about my well-being and offer to help with tasks, such as taking out my bins or letting me skip the line at the corner store to avoid standing for too long.
I last saw them as they prepared to graduate at the end of the school year. With my crutches behind me, I personally thanked them for their kindness and even reached out to their schools in hopes of acknowledging their good deeds—though I never learned if they received such recognition.
Many people showed me kindness during my recovery, with varying degrees of genuine intent, but these teenagers stood out the most. My past experiences of bullying during high school had made me wary of groups of young individuals. However, this instance helped me reshape my perspective and realise that we can’t judge others solely based on fleeting interactions, even if we see them regularly. Those teenagers proved to be more than the stereotypes I had labelled them with, leaving me deeply grateful for the positive impact they had during a challenging time in my life.