Yahoo News 'I'm disgusted with myself': Man who left angry note on ambulance apologises after neighbour dies
A man who left an angry note on an ambulance while parademics treated his dying neighbour has apologised, saying: “I’m disgusted with myself”.
Hassan Shabbir, 27, of Small Heath in Birmingham, came forward after West Midlands Ambulance shared an image of the note on under their windscreen wiper, which was left as they cared for a patient suffering major internal bleeding.
The note, which was written in capitals, read: “You may be saving lives, but don’t park your van in a stupid place and block my drive.”
Taking to social media, Shabbir responded to the online backlash, after he was dubbed “the most hated many on the internet”, by admitting: “What I did was monstrous.”
“I just snapped and had a rush of blood to the head,” he said. “I scribbled the note, rushed out and put it on the windscreen.
“There is no excuse for what I did. It was very bad. I knew it was wrong before a friend told me what had happened to the man in it.
“I have been to pray and ask for forgiveness. I hope the family accept my apology.
“I am someone who relies on the NHS, I suffer with a life-long disability, I know the truly amazing work the NHS does. If I could take it back, I would – regardless of if the man passed away or not.”
Medics, who were treating the man in Small Heath, Birmingham, at around 4.30pm on Friday, said they were at the scene for no more than 30 minutes.
A spokesperson confirmed that the man later died at Heartlands Hospital.
In a tweet, West Midlands Ambulance Service said: “Sometimes we just don’t know what to say. This was the note left on an ambulance today.
“At the time, the crew were helping a man who was extremely unwell after vomiting blood. They took him on blue lights to hospital where he was in a critical condition. #patientscomefirst.”
Thanks for all the comments you've been sending through about this case. We still can't believe it, and it appears you can't either. Leaves us feeling really rather #sad – thanks again for all your support pic.twitter.com/xSCzjaIZLz
— WMAS (@OFFICIALWMAS) November 11, 2017
Tasha Starkey, a WMAS paramedic, added: “Crew alerted an extremely poorly patient to hospital… minimal on scene time, arrived at hospital to find this note… this patient was TIME-CRITICAL”.
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Online, there has been an outpouring of anger at Shabbir, as well as support for the ambulance crew.
Twitter user Jon Watson: “Something wrong with this country when our emergency services are faced with petty parking notes on @OFFICIALWMAS Ambulances and kids aiming fireworks @Tyne_Wear_FRS on call outs 999 crews may be helping you next time. Respect them!!!”
Responding to the original tweet, one user wrote: “Tell me where it was and I’ll park a bus outside his drive and walk off…..”
One added: “I was very saddened and annoyed to see such a ridiculous note. If ever you needed to park outside my house for a neighbour I’d offer cake 2”
Another said: “Selfish, selfish people!!! (Yes I’m being polite!!).”
Charlotte Thompson said: “A few weeks ago WMAS saved my father’s life in the back of an ambulance outside our house when he had a cardiac arrest, let’s hope they never have to experience what we did! Ignore these people & keep doing what you do! & thank you!”
The WMAS account tweeted: “Thanks for all the comments you’ve been sending through about this case. We still can’t believe it, and it appears you can’t either. Leaves us feeling really rather #sad – thanks again for all your support”
