An Event That Altered My Perspective: The Train I Was On Crashed – and then I Overheard a Young Girl Sobbing.

T I knew my life was in danger came a couple of years into my 20s, at a time when everything was beginning. My dearest friend, Helen, and I were on our way to Blackburn to reunite with a former classmate who had made a new home there for work. Delighted to be together, and enjoying the thought of the upcoming weekend of fun, we talked incessantly as we journeyed by train from York.

We put our suitcases – packed with necessities such as bottles of wine and my new pair of black clogs – above our heads and settled down in a comfortable double seat. About 50 minutes into our journey, I was faintly cognizant of a bang. Another one sounded, which could not be dismissed. A female passenger shrieked as our carriage was lifted off the tracks in what felt like slow motion. Suddenly, Helen and I were standing up in the middle of the aisle, hugging each other. With my head lowered, eyelids tightly closed, I expected the carriage to flip and explode, like in the movies. I recall pondering our loved ones hearing the tragic update. Then I heard the child sobbing.

“Everything is okay,” I whispered, speaking with a rasp. “It's finished now,” I stated, primarily to calm my own nerves.

Her age was roughly seven or eight, and appeared to be completely on her own. Her crying shook me out of my trance; here was my chance to help. I made my way to where she was standing and wrapped an arm around her. “Don't turn around,” Helen shouted, the warning came after the fact. I saw a man with his face covered in blood. A large metallic item had penetrated the window behind us. Subsequently, we discovered a runaway digger had rolled down the hill and collided with the train, leading to the derailment.

Our carriage was stuck with its leading section elevated. Then came the noise of sirens and a man nearby asked me to pass the little girl to him so he could assist her exit through the opening, while young passengers were extracted to emergency personnel below. Shortly after, Helen and I were also climbing out of the train window and climbing down a ladder on to the track.

Back on terra firma – next to a goods shed in Pudsey – uncontrollable shivers took over. My eyes scanned for the little girl and watched her mother gather her up, who it turned out had been using the restroom during the incident. An emergency worker helpfully fetched my clogs. Another traveler sat down heavily on Helen’s case, making it split apart – though luckily our wine was unharmed. Once we had waited for thirty minutes, we made our way in a free cab to Blackburn, accompanied by a young man and the female passenger who had broken Helen’s case. Our host was there, visibly shaken. She had heard there had been a derailment and a staff member had led her away and offered her a hot drink while she hoped for information.

With the invincibility of youth, we pushed the derailment from our minds and proceeded with the social outing, which featured a unforgettable performance by Blackburn drag queen Clitheroe Kate. Not a single life was lost in the incident, despite the fact that several people were transported to the hospital. Helen and I sustained only bruises and soreness and discomfort from the impact of being thrown forward in the carriage. Our speed had been decreasing to approach Leeds station, which had been the crucial element in avoiding serious injury. The fact that nobody was badly hurt made it easier not to dwell on the “what ifs” but it was the little girl who made a permanent impression. Looking after her and reassuring her helped take my mind off myself and taught me the importance of focusing on others in a crisis. Over the years, I have repeatedly asked myself if she recalled any details, and how big a deal it had been for her.

Helen and I have now been friends for more than three decades and That location's name now symbolizes for our skill in managing whatever comes, so long as we are together. Being with her that day created the sensation that I was shielded against the worst of the situation. The crash also changed my method of handling various difficult situations, offering me a new viewpoint – and serving as a reminder that, however bad things seem, it is always a privilege to grow older.