Upper Dublin crossing guard Bob Fry is the very definition of a random act of kindness. He helped countless Philadelphians as a firefighter. And in his retirement, he remains an active volunteer, aiding others selflessly. But when he himself need help, he was taken aback by a passerby’s outpouring for his wellbeing. Jon Campisi told his story in the Upper Dublin Patch.

Fry, 72, is a volunteer crossing guard at Fort Washington Elementary School. When a colleague asked him to cover a recent morning at Maple Glen Elementary School, Fry agreed.

He started to guide a troop of students into the intersection when he tumbled violently.

Within moments, a passerby in scrubs was helping him.

“I am a critical care physician,” the stranger said. “I will stay here with you.”

An ambulance arrived to take him to Abington Hospital. Fry received 12 stitches and luckily, the fall produced no broken bones.

A startling coincidence awaited him in the Emergency Room.

The hospital physician attending to his wounds in the ER had received a call from a physician-friend, telling him to be on the lookout for an injured crossing guard on his way in. As luck would have it, he was a friend of the physician who tended to Fry in the street and then called ahead to ensure the crossing guard was cared for.

Being on the receiving end of a stranger’s beneficence was a little overwhelming for a man so used to giving to others.

“People were doing this for me. I was always the one who helped people. It was really emotional,” he said.

He looks forward to returning to his spot and being a daily “role model on the corner” for the students he assists.

More on the story of this lucky Upper Dublin crossing guard is at the Upper Dublin Patch.