SMRT staff calms special needs boy & reunites him with mother, leaves fellow commuter touched & impressed

An encounter on the MRT became a lesson in kindness for commuter Phillip Chang who noted that compassion and patience can go a long way in supporting those with special needs.

By Phillip Chang

This incident unfolded on Jan. 3 (Friday) with a young boy who was visibly distressed.

At Clementi MRT station at 1:45pm, he started screaming, slamming his hands on the seats, and pacing back and forth the train carriage, repeatedly shouting phrases like, “I can’t call anymore!” and “I got caught!”

Understandably, this alarmed passengers who were unsure of how to respond.

Some continued watching, while others walked away.

From my experience with family friends who have special needs, I suspected the boy might have been experiencing a sensory overload.

I approached him, attempting to ask what was wrong, but my efforts seemed to heighten his distress.

He started running up and down the train.

At this point, a concerned passenger activated the emergency button.

At the next station at Dover, SMRT personnel responded promptly at around 1:50pm.

A female SMRT assistant station manager, Nur Syazwani, deactivated the emergency button, while a kind-hearted female passenger pointed out where the boy was and explained that he seemed to need help.

This was a reminder of the goodness in people — choosing to assist rather than record the situation for social media.

Could not reach his mother on her phone

Two male SMRT staff members gently sat beside the boy.

One of them, assistant station manager Muhammad Nur Husri, calmed the boy down by rubbing his shoulder, and asking him what happened.

It turned out that the boy had been trying to call his mother but could not get through, leaving him distressed and confused.

The SMRT staff tried calling his mother on their phones, but she remained uncontactable.

They assured the boy that they would stay with him until she could be contacted.

When they suggested that he alight at Redhill so that they could provide further assistance, the boy gave them a fist bump.

Throughout it all, the SMRT staff had it under control and they handled the situation with care and gentleness.

Unfortunately, I had to disembark at Queenstown for work and could not stay to help.

However, I later managed to contact his mother, who explained that she had been tied up at work and had instructed her son to return home on his own, which was something outside his usual routine.

I assured the mother that he was safe with SMRT personnel waiting at Redhill.

With the help from station manager Lee Sze Yuin, the boy reached home safely by 2:55pm.

SMRT staff demonstrated exemplary care

The SMRT personnel demonstrated exemplary care, and I feel they deserve recognition for their actions — not just for this incident but for their daily efforts to ensure passengers’ safety and comfort.

Their role is often underappreciated, especially during challenging times, like maintaining the train tracks every night, helping with passengers' needs, guiding commuters when we are lost, and managing crowds during train disruptions.

They are the reason why we can get to school to learn, go to work on time to earn money for our family, and meet friends to create new memories together or rekindle relationships.

Compassion and patience can make a difference

In a nutshell, this incident was a touching reminder of how compassion, patience, and quick-thinking can make a difference.

For individuals with special needs, disruptions to their routines can be overwhelming, and they require understanding and assurance to navigate such situations.

This was not a fault of the boy or his mother, but a reflection of life’s challenges that all of us face at times in this broken world.

We all have days where priorities prevent us from attending to the ones we love; we all have bad days where we feel lost too.

This often exacerbates mental health issues.

Incidents like this remind us that simple goodness and altruism still exist.

The compassion shown by the SMRT staff and the passengers on board is a shining example of humanity at its best.

Put a smile on someone’s face and make their day or entertain them.

You never know what someone is going through at work, in their family, or their personal life.

Top image credit: Wikipedia.

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