Facebook saving my friend's life!
By Winky
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
Boston, Massachusetts
July 5, 2010 5:40pm CST
Hey Mylot Friends,
Midnight of Saturday i received a call from an unknown number...the news shocked me. He informed me that my friend was rushed to the hospital because he was stabbed and hold up. He too asked me to check his facebook account. He got my number from a friend whose in Qatar who happened to read my friend's shoutout in facebook and he responded by giving my number because my house is located near the hospital.
I got up and checked my facebook and saw his shoutout telling us about what happened to him and requesting us to contact his family and relatives. in the wee hour of the night i did a text brigade to our friends and even try to contact the numbers in his facebook account. my friends did their share by texting other friends about his situation too.
He's under critical condition as one of the stab is near his lungs. His parents are already around and friends came to visit him. now, one of his friends initiated to advocate for some help for his hospitalization and maintenance meds until he recovered.
THanks for Facebook for alarming us and keeping us in touch. thanks for text messages as it made the communication so fast! now we are being updated via Facebook!
Do you have any related experience like this one? aside from reaching out to long lost friends what other benefits did you get from using facebook? thanks for sharing!
2 people like this
16 responses
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
6 Jul 10
I am a little confused. Your friend who was stabbed, is his family in another country? Why would he take the time to post it to fb? If something happens to me and I am brought to the hospital conscious I am going to have someone call my parents. I am not going to borrow a phone to get on facebook!
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
6 Jul 10
Hi C,
My friend is working in Manila and his family and relatives are in the province and are not into Facebook. Calling them is a long distance and will cost much. The one who gave my number was a friend in another country who saw the post in facebook and another friend who’s in the Philippines during that time and online saw it and requested fro whoever was online that time to give him a contact number of friends near the area where the hospital is located. And I am one of them. So, that’s the only way he can contact us—to be informed about what happened to him. According to him, he could not recall any cellphone number the fastest way was to just post it in facebook and he made it. The response was quick and the family was informed then. The hold upper took everything and he was so thankful that the hospital nurse allowed him to use her cellphone. I apologize for the confusion my friend!
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
6 Jul 10
That is an amazing story!
Where was your friend when he was attacked?
1 person likes this
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
7 Jul 10
it's around 11pm and he's on his way home waiting for a jeepney...a ride! when two teenagers came to him. One took his bag and the other one wrapped his arms around him and continuously stabbed him. he suffered from 16 stabs!
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
7 Jul 10
Hi Zed,
I visited him yesterday and he's trying his best to be happy but you can feel the pain in him. a tube is connected to his lungs to drain the blood and according to him it's very painful. i made a discussion sharing what truly happned to him as he did suffer from 16 stabbed wounds aside from the fact that he was robbed/hold-up! Let's hope and pray for his speedy recovery!
1 person likes this
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
12 Jul 10
It was really awful but my friend is strong enough to take the pain from the stabbed wounds. He is really a fighter. We admire his courage. He’s still in the hospital and recovering fast. Thanks for your concern friend! How are you now? What’s keeping you busy?
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
12 Jul 10
Hi Dawn,
Thanks Dawn. My friend is recuperating fast. He’s so excited to start working on his advocacy campaign for hospital reforms. Right now there’s an on-going discussion with our lawyer friend. I hope people will support this campaign and get justice for what happened to him.
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
12 Jul 10
By the way, it’s the same way with me. I was able to keep in touch with long lost cousins/relatives and friends via facebook. I don’t have multiply account but I have friendster. But I am more on FB now. I remember you sharing with me some photos via your multiply account—your wedding, you wearing different costumes and those cutie ducks! Thanks once again Dawn!
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
19 Jul 10
Hi Neildc,
My friend is home and still on meds. He's working on filing the case with the help of our friend attorney. I know he will get the justice he deserved.
Facebook is a good social networking site. I hope people will not abuse the use of facebook as it has a good purpose. thanks!
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
8 Jul 10
Well, I've experienced nothing of this magnitude through my experience with facebook, but I have experienced finding a wallet that was lost to me 16 years ago. It was a little over a month ago that I received a facebook message from someone on facebook that found a wallet of mine that was lost at the performing arts center in our city when I was just in the eighth grade. It was amazing to me to think that facebook could be used for that sort of thing. Networking I knew that facebook was, but a lost and found retrival tool, I would have never thought it.
I hope your friend gets well soon.
1 person likes this
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
9 Jul 10
Hi Dorann,
Wow...that's amazing friend! Your friend is so honest to keep it and find the right time to give it to you. Thanks to facebook too for this. That wallet will surely brings back memories of your youth hehehehe. How nice of your friend for such kind deed!
@denise36 (128)
• United States
8 Jul 10
Technology has made this a much smaller world. We used facebook when my neice was having her baby. We would post the updates instead of making and answering lots of phone calls. It was fantastic and also got to post pics of the baby for everyone to see soon after delivery. Everyone was pleased and it also helped in the number of people showing up at the hospital to see the new baby and mom, who both needed rest afterwards.
I hope your friend is doing well. Please post an update to his condition if you get a chance.
1 person likes this
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
12 Jul 10
Hi Denise,
Wow, this is the first time that i heard about this story of using facebook while on delivery. It must be exciting. you can even post pictures hehehehe. Great idea that i can recommend to friends who's pregnant right now when they deliver their baby than be stressed in responding to text messages one by one! have a great day and thanks!
@donna22 (1116)
•
6 Jul 10
Facebook has had some bad press lately and its understandable but on the other hand it can do some good as well. Ive been able to get in touch with family and friends from school that I wouldnt have otherwise been able to (at least not as easily anyway)and I go out more often now. I rarely spend money on my phone because most messages I send on facebook.
1 person likes this
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
7 Jul 10
Hi Donna,
I can see more advantages or benefits from using facebook. We just have to be responsible in using it and we will not have any problem. I am happy with facebook...so practical! It will surely save you more money! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
@ckyera (17331)
• Philippines
7 Jul 10
hi winks,
i hope your friend is already safe now and recovering. that was a very awful experience. its good that he has a quick mind even in such situation and thanks to his attentive and concern friends who also acts fast.
i don't experience the same thing and so far my facebook account is just for reaching out to my long lost friends and new friends, for fun with its games and i am also earning a bit from FB by working in cloudcrowd.
1 person likes this
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
9 Jul 10
Hi CK,
Now facebook gave our circle of friends a new meaning. we promised to keep in touch as often as we need to be in updated with each others situation and be able to respond in cases of emergencies. It was really an awful experience. He's still in the hospital and no definite date yet for his discharge. he's still with oxygen on but is feeling better now though still in pain.
@eileenleyva (27560)
• Philippines
7 Jul 10
ms, that sounds like a television plot. But indeed, truth is stranger than fiction. Get your story patented or somebody might copy it.
But hey, I just know your an angel. 
And your other friends as well. Why else would everyone think about you, even in the strangest of coincidences?
And your other friends as well. Why else would everyone think about you, even in the strangest of coincidences?1 person likes this
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
9 Jul 10
Hi Eileen,
THanks for that heartwarming comments of me being an angel. I am so lucky for being given the chance to respond at once during that time. I am so thankful for the kind of reaction and support i got from our friends. A test to determine how we valuen each other and how far can we do for our friends in times like this one.
@randylovesdar (4932)
• United States
6 Jul 10
I am glad that facebook was so helpful during your time of need. I think it is great that you are able to text message so fast. I hope all goes well and please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. Please keep us posted on your friend's condition.
I have reconnected with some of my friends and a family member I have not seen in years. I love face book.
1 person likes this
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
7 Jul 10
Hi Randy,
My friend considered facebook an angel..a hero for such support he got after posting his shoutout! he said last night when we visited him that he will forever love facebook and will ever be thankful for such suport! until now facebook is still the main source of information about latest updates on him. Financial support also came and he was so surprised about it.
@kiran0074u (564)
• India
6 Jul 10
great.. i wish your friend recover soon... this is one way technology helps us...i never experienced the kind of situation but yeah i use internet for sending messages and keeping update.....
1 person likes this
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
9 Jul 10
Hi Kiran,
My friend is recovering fast. There's so much we can do via internet, we just have to be responsible in using it. Glad that you're doing it right by sending messages to and getting updates from family, friends and relatives. Have fun and be safe!
@stoimirov (16)
• Bulgaria
6 Jul 10
I hope your friend gets well soon! I too have had an interesting experience of that kind with facebook some months ago. One night I was out with friends and to my amazement I found that I've lost my wallet with my documents in it and some money. So on the other day i get a message in facebook from some guy i don't know, saying he has found it. And so we met the day after that and he returned it to me. Everything was in tact even my money was still there.
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
9 Jul 10
Hi Stoimirov,
It's good that you're facebook address was in your documents that made it easier for the guy to locate you or even inform you about your lost and found stuff. He's a good person. He's honest enough to return it--as is. Thanks to facebook!
My friend is recovering fast. THanks for yor wishes for him!
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
9 Jul 10
Hi Chuck,
Even the parents of my friend who does not know or not using facebook learned to appreciate it after the incident that happened to my friend. They too are thankful to facebook. Now they are receiving more support from friends and relatives who learned about what happened via facebook.
@piscesgamer (88)
• India
6 Jul 10
Its good to see the good side of face book.Whereas i had very bad experience in Facebook.Now i am happy that these types of sites can be used for good purpose also.
Tks for the timely article.
:)
1 person likes this
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
9 Jul 10
Hi Piscesgamer,
For quite sometime there are so many bad publicities about facebook and even real stories how facebook became an instrument to ruin one's life. now, with my friend's experience--it's the other way around. it saves life and continuously extending chances to live longer as the support of friends and relatives are overflowing.
He's feeling better now but still suffering from some pains in the areas where stabbed wounds are deep.
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
7 Jul 10
Hi Abj163,
I visited him last night after work. He’s able to share what happened and I was so shocked then. He was so brave for making it to his second life. Thanks for your care and concern. I did extend your good wishes to him.
@okuribidreams (195)
• Italy
6 Jul 10
This is a really really wonderful thing.
I hope your friend feels better soon and totally recovers fast! I know most of the people just talk bad about Facebook and social networks, but I find it useful, and not only for facts like this.
I don't have a story which is really similar to yours, but Facebook helped someone near me, once. A really young girl (of 15/16 years old) a couple of months ago ran away from home and totally vanished into thin air. They contacted police and such, but nothing useful came out from them. In the end, she (she is a Scene Queen, not really unnoticeable, right?) appeared in a photo in a fellow friend of mine profile. We didn't have any friends in common, and none of the friends and relatives of that girl knew him - but the moment I saw her pic, I recognized her and contacted her parents.
Not very clever, running away from home and posting a pic on Facebook, I know. Maybe she felt safe because the boy was a complete stranger to her family and friends? :)
In the end, she came back home, anyway.
1 person likes this
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
7 Jul 10
Hi Okuribidreams,
I am with two other friends last night to visit him. One of them has a facebook account but is not active. She is also one of those saying negative things about facebook. Yesterday, learning about how friends were able to reach out to each other to extend help and that’s via facebook—she said this line “now, I have high respect to facebook” realizing the role of FB in saving our friend’s life. Thanks for your wishes. Let’s continue hoping and praying that he recovers soon. There’s no definite date yet when he will be released from the hospital as his lung is being drained from blood clots.
