In Singapore, a foreign domestic worker (FDW) usually takes care of more than just the household chores — they might also function as caregiver to an elderly or a young child.
But sometimes, they go even beyond the role of a caregiver to sacrifice their own safety for the family under their charge.
In this instance, a parent was so moved by the "brave and selfless act" of a FDW named Sheryl that she wrote a Facebook post to praise her for what she had done.
Exerted too much force on sliding door
The incident took place in a house that belongs to the toddler's aunt.
As the child wanted to use the toilet, he was accompanied to do so by his family's helper, Jena.
However, as Jena was flushing the toilet bowl, the toddler exerted so much force on a sliding door —supposedly made of tempered glass — that it shattered on him.
To his mother's horror, blood was streaming down the young boy's face.
The above photo, presumably taken right after the ordeal, also shows his T-shirt splattered with blood.
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Toddler almost stepped on broken glass
Unaware of the danger, the child's first instinct was to step out of the scene — except there was broken glass all around him.
That was when Sheryl, another helper who was in the house, shouted at the toddler to stand still, and told Jena to lift the boy up to prevent him from cutting his feet on the glass.
Perhaps seeing that Jena was in a state of shock, Sheryl took the initiative and decisively stepped barefoot into the broken glass without hesitation, to carry the toddler out to safety.
Spots of blood can be seen on and around the white stool beside the toilet bowl.
On Sheryl's action, the mother wrote:
"She could have dangerously hurt herself but I was completely touched by her braveness and selfless act. She is a remarkable person who always put others before herself."
This is a photo of Sheryl, which the mum also shared:
Minor cut on head, no stitches required
After the accident, the family brought the boy immediately to KK Hospital.
Fortunately, the toddler did not require stitches as he only had minor cuts on the head.
The mother ends the post warning other parents to never let their guard down, even if their child is around tempered glass (which is supposed to be safer than regular glass).
The difference between tempered glass and regular glass
By the way, just in case you are interested to know, tempered glass is a kind of glass processed by heat or chemical treatments to increase its strength.
Barring scientific jargon, this means that if the glass breaks, it will crumble into small granular chunks, instead of jagged shards that could more easily cause serious injuries.
Tempered glass is commonly used for vehicle windows, shower doors, and even plates and cookware.
You can read the parent's original Facebook post here:
Top image from Facebook post
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