Lost and Found: How Two Texas Tourists Became a ‘Subway Story’ in the Best Way with an NYPD Chief’s Help
A Chance Encounter
Retired nurses Mable St. John and Karen Baxter-Rhoades are in their mid-70s and have been friends for over half a century. They were even college roommates together. Every two to three years, the colleagues make a pilgrimage to New York to take in the sights and sounds of the metropolis. However, while riding the F train on February 19 to their hotel, the trip seemingly got off to a heartbreaking start.
A Lost iPad and a Desperate Search
As the pair disembarked the train on 34th Street and Herald Square, St. John realized that she had left her bag containing her iPad inside the car. "My life is on that iPad. I just really hated to lose the iPad with all my pictures of my grandkids and my family," St. John recalled. "Let’s face it, it’s an iPad with a neck pillow that pretty much screams tourists on it."
Seeking Help from an MTA Worker
At 10 p.m. that evening, the two seniors went in search of help. Seeking aid from an MTA worker, the nurses frantically explained what had happened to the booth worker. By this time, the train had almost made it to Coney Island, and although the MTA staff member attempted to call down to the station, she was getting no answer.
An Unexpected Intervention by the NYPD
Then, NYPD Chief of Transit Joseph Gulotta and Lt. Michael Scally, who just so happened to be in the station, spotted the upset women. "We’re walking out of Herald Square. We see these two frantically talking to the booth attendant," Chief Gulotta recalled. "I said, ‘Please give Transit District 34 a call.’ We called the sergeant on the desk there, Keith Miller, who was excellent. He sent two officers down."
A Miraculous Discovery
The patrol officers searched the F train after it had pulled into the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station, and incredibly, they found the bag still sitting on the seat, having made the long journey untouched.
A Touching Reunion
Becoming emotional as she remembered the feeling of finding out that her bag had been recovered, St. John attributed the intervention of the NYPD and the fact that no other rider touched her belongings to being watched over by her recently deceased brother. "I’m a realist. The odds are not very good that somebody wouldn’t have taken it. So, I have no explanation other than God put the chief in that station at the exact minute I was standing there, and then my brother must have watched over it until the policeman found it," St. John said, weeping.
A Special Moment
The two women hopped back onto the train and made the trek to Coney Island’s Transit District 34 to pick up her property. By this time, it was almost midnight, leaving the two seniors out far later than they would usually be comfortable with.
A Police Escort to the Hotel
The pair then got another surprise when the NYPD sent a patrol car to bring the ladies back to their hotel. "It was a special moment. To be able to help somebody, I don’t think it’s a better feeling than that," Chief Gulotta said. "It’s the reason I became a cop."
A Lasting Impression
St. John said the experience will stay with the two women for life. Before they returned to Texas, they said they were again riding the subway when they came across a sign reading, "Don’t become someone’s subway story" – something, ironically, they said they were proud to become.
Conclusion
The story of Mable St. John and Karen Baxter-Rhoades serves as a heartwarming reminder of the kindness and dedication of the men and women in blue. In a city of millions, it’s easy to feel lost and alone, but the NYPD’s Chief of Transit Joseph Gulotta and Lt. Michael Scally proved that even in the darkest of moments, there is always hope.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What happened to Mable St. John’s iPad?
A: Mable St. John’s iPad was left on the F train, and it was recovered by the NYPD at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station.
Q: How did the NYPD get involved in the situation?
A: NYPD Chief of Transit Joseph Gulotta and Lt. Michael Scally were in the station when they spotted the upset women and called Transit District 34 to send officers to assist.
Q: What was the outcome of the situation?
A: The iPad was recovered, and the women were escorted back to their hotel by the NYPD.
Q: What did the women learn from the experience?
A: The women learned that even in the darkest of moments, there is always hope, and that the kindness of strangers can make all the difference.
