STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A traumatic fall during an evening jog could have turned out much worse for a Florida man if not for the kindness of Staten Island strangers who quickly came to his aid.
John Candler, 75, a retired Florida Sheriff’s Office deputy who had been visiting relatives on the Island, was out running in Prince’s Bay in the vicinity of Foster Road around 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 1, when he said an uneven segment of sidewalk caused him to trip and fall.
Having suffered a deep laceration to his forehead and scraping his arms, legs, hands and face, Candler was down on the sidewalk when at least five people pulled over their cars to assist him in the aftermath of the terrible tumble.
“It was just surprising how everyone stopped to help me,” Candler told the Advance/SILive.com.
Back home in Florida, Candler said he couldn’t remember the names off all the good Samaritans as he was only able to get the name of one: Retired NYPD officer Bob Palouto.
“I can’t tell you how much [Palouto] and the others did for me,” Candler said. “They got ice for my head, water and towels to wipe the blood from my face.”
Candler said he had wanted to get up by himself and walk back to his family’s home, but Palouto insisted on driving him back and walking him up to the house.
While Candler ultimately received eight stitches to his forehead and bandages for the rest of his injuries at an area urgent care center, nothing about the incident has changed the good feelings he has toward Staten Islanders.
“It really made me feel good,” Candler said.
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