Irene Gibson, from Newtownards, Co Down, became tearful as the pressures of long-term health struggles grew too much, and found herself crying outside Asda.
It was then that big-hearted Asda colleague Liz stepped in, offering the 65-year-old a shoulder to cry on – and a much-needed listening ear.
Irene said: “That day, I was very low. I was inside the shopping centre on my way to Asda when I got a bit overwhelmed with everything going on. Luckily for me, as soon as Liz saw me on her way into work, she knew I wasn’t good.”
Irene has lived with Chron’s Disease and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia for several years, and recently started suffering with ataxia, a rare neurological condition that can affect speech, balance and co-ordination.
She said: “Some days you just get on with it, but others, things can be tough. Life has changed a lot because of my health, and that day it just all got too much. When Liz saw me in tears, she stopped to see if I was OK and got me a drink of water. She listened as I talked everything through and waited with me until I calmed down.”
Liz’s kindness had such an impact on Irene, within days she returned to Asda Newtownards to make sure the shop worker’s generous actions didn’t go unnoticed.
Irene, who lives nearby with her husband Colin, said: “Liz is a very nice girl, and she went out of her way to help me. I felt I had to go back to tell her managers what she’d done because not everyone would do that. It meant the world to me.”
Liz, 59, has worked in Asda for 16 years.
She said: “Irene is a lovely lady, and when I realised that day how upset she was, I just sat with her and let her talk it out. She was feeling overwhelmed with such a lot going on, and it’s always important in those situations to have someone to talk to. I’m so glad I was able to do that for her when she needed it.
“When she came back in to tell my line manager I’d helped her, I was just glad to see her looking so much better. I gave her a big hug and asked if she was OK, and was delighted to see she was able to go off with her husband and do her shopping. Seeing people upset is never easy, but it’s great to see them out the other side and smiling again.”