Those Special Connections

At the end of the day it is about the people we work with and those we help. Whatever our roles are at Ride Connection or with our partner organizations, it is all about the customer and getting them to where they need to go. In doing so, we often develop a special connection with our customers, whether it is the gentleman we take to see his wife, the group of ladies we take to their weekly bingo game, or that "tenacious" woman, who's motivation to learn how to use public transportation was getting a good cup of coffee.

Below is a moving story about that "tenacious" woman from one of our Travel Trainers. Thanks Lisa for sharing!

Annaballe, is one of the tenacious cast members of The Rider's Voice and one who started her journey using public transit not knowing if she could even walk to the bus stop when I first met her. She moved from New York to be closer to her daughter living in Portland. She didn't know a thing about TriMet or the area she was living. Through her own determination to get out of the assisted living facility and driven to get a good cup of coffee, she increased her endurance so she could independently use the fixed-route bus system not only for that cup of coffee, but to expand her trips for shopping and medical appointments.

She was good to call and check in with me once a month to let me know how she was doing and ask for other trip plans to new destinations. She eventually was able to leave the assisted living facility and move into her own apartment and learned new bus lines. All this, with her oxygen tanks and walker to help her along the way.

Annabelle called to let me know she had a set back with a spell of pneumonia last month and later on experienced heart failure. She said she called 911 herself for a trip to the emergency room after waking up on the floor of her apartment. I recently visited with her in rehabilitation taking her one of those good cups of coffee and a copy of The Rider's Voice (so she could show off). We talked about current events and her hopes of getting back to riding the bus again.

Annabelle passed away Saturday, 12/18/10. She was 82.

Her daughter called to let me know and to tell us how important public transportation was to her while living in the Portland area. Without the freedom of independent travel the past three years her life experience would have been very different. Annabelle was a very independent person, proud of her accomplishments, and for being able to share her story in The Rider's Voice. Her daughter told me that she shared the book, specifically her story, with family members around the country and with others in the rehabilitation facility. There will be a memorial for Annabelle in New York this Spring, and her daughter intends on taking the book with her and sharing her story with her people back home.

Annabelle is a great spirit and I am a better person for knowing her.