A phone call after a successful heart surgery is usually brief: a doctor shares the update, and a family member expresses relief. But when cardiac surgeon Dr Prashant Mishra called the employer of a patient who had just undergone bypass surgery, the conversation took an unexpected turn. The employer used a single word to describe the man who worked for him, and that word has now turned a private moment of gratitude into a powerful lesson on dignity and respect.
The surgery that almost took a different route
Dr Prashant Mishra shared that a patient who worked as a driver had approached him for bypass surgery. Since the operation at a private hospital would cost around ₹4.25 lakh, he advised the family to consider treatment at a government hospital.The next day, however, the patient’s son informed him that they would go ahead with the surgery at a private medical facility in Mumbai.According to the doctor, the patient’s employer transferred the required amount directly through RTGS, making the surgery possible.
One word caught the doctor’s attention
After the surgery was successfully completed, Dr Mishra called the employer to share the update.He recalled saying, “Thank you for your support – Mr. Shukla’s surgery was successful.”The employer replied, “Thank you, Doctor, for taking such good care of my colleague.”The doctor was surprised and asked, “Colleague? But he mentioned he works as your driver.”The employer then explained why he chose to describe him that way.“He has been with me for 15 years, and I don’t see him as just my driver. I work, and he works. We simply hold different roles in our daily life, but we work together. His job is different from mine, but we are colleagues.”Dr Mishra said the reply left him “completely speechless.”
The message behind the story
The doctor said the incident reminded him that every person deserves respect, regardless of the work they do.Sharing his thoughts, he wrote: “Never look down on your domestic help or staff as mere ‘servants’. They are the ones who keep our lives running smoothly, and they deserve equal respect and dignity.”The post soon drew attention from many social media users, with several saying it was a reminder that respect should not be based on job titles.
Internet reacts
The story received several heartfelt reactions.One user wrote, “I started SIP for my domestic help, with the hope that SIP money will grow and when they retire from my work after 10-12 years, I shall be in a position to offer a little lump sum amount to them. The way we salaried people get retirement corpus – I want my domestic help to get the same.”Another commented, “Absolutely, Doctor! Only very few would understand this… our society is on such a foundation that lacked dignity of labour, a long time back and now too!”A third user wrote, “Priceless heart-warming experience.”A fourth added, “A little dignity, gratitude, and kindness can make the world a much better place.”Disclaimer: This article is based on a social media post shared by cardiac surgeon Dr Prashant Mishra and the reactions it received online. The Times of India has not independently verified the personal details of the individuals mentioned in the post.Thumb image: Canva (for representative purposes only)
