Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Lifestyle
Jane Hendy as told to Katie Cunningham

The kindness of strangers: she gave me a pristine white handkerchief to mop up the blood on my face

The image shows a lady waving a white handkerchief.
‘Her kind act was the best thing that happened to me on an otherwise terrible day.’ Composite: Alamy/Guardian design

Years ago I was visiting Naples with my daughter. On our first day there, she was itching to go for a walk down to the port, so we dropped our bags at the accommodation and set off to explore.

I was feeling quite exhausted after the flight, and while walking down a steep cobblestone street, I tripped. I flew through the air and fell flat on the ground, face first. For some reason, the instinct to put my hands out to cushion the fall hadn’t kicked in, so I landed straight on my chin. I knew immediately that my jaw was broken – I’d heard the awful crack. Before long, blood was gushing down my face.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.