When we talk about living our TRUE Values, we need look no further than Harmony Pandher, a Customer Services Manager at OCS Australia.
Travelling between customer sites on a busy Wednesday afternoon in St Kilda, she was horrified to witness a hit-and-run where a car hit an elderly woman in a wheelchair on a pedestrian crossing, knocking her to the ground.
With the traffic at a standstill, Harmony immediately moved her car to block traffic to protect the woman and raced to her aid.
“It was clear that the lady Mrs Fernandez was in urgent need of medical attention. She had blood coming from a wound in her head and was covered with scrapes and contusions,” said Harmony.
“The traffic was gridlocked, and I knew it would be a long wait for an ambulance and I knew from my first aid training that getting her to hospital quickly was paramount – and, having lost both my parents, there was no way I was going to risk this lady’s life.
“So, after consulting other bystanders, we put Mrs Fernandez into the back of my car, and I embarked on some creative (but safe) driving to get her to the Royal Melbourne Hospital as quickly as possible.”
After ensuring Mrs Fernandez was safe in the care of the medical team and providing her statement to the Police, Harmony simply got on with her day. It wasn’t until Mrs Fernandez’s son contacted OCS wanting to thank Harmony for her care in such a critical situation, that anyone knew anything about her heroic afternoon.
When asked why she hadn’t told anyone, Harmony said “I did what I believe anyone would do – treating others with compassion and humility in such situations.”
Alex Fernandez, Mrs Fernandez’s son, said his whole family are grateful Harmony was on the spot to help.
“Harmony’s quick actions saved my mother’s life. Thank you, Harmony, your care and kindness means so much. You went above and beyond, and we are thankful you were right there on the scene,” says Alex Fernandez.
Gareth Marriott, OCS Managing Director, said: “We are so proud of Harmony’s actions during such a critical moment. Her quick thinking saved a life – reflecting her extraordinary empathy and dedication to helping others.
“The way Harmony responded is a testament to her character and the TRUE Star she is. We are honoured to have someone of her integrity and courage on our team.”