Milton good Samaritan sought

A fall left Milton matriarch Leah Betts with a broken hip and femur, but also with a profound sense of gratitude, and the quest to find the good Samaritan who helped her.

The former Milton Town Council member and vice mayor was cleaning her front steps about 8:30 a.m., Sept. 4, when she missed a stair walking backward and fell into the yard. 

Betts lives in the white house on Magnolia Street across from Bodie’s, and when she saw a black car rounding the corner, she hoped it would stop.

“I was in so much pain I couldn’t move,” Betts said. “She came running to me and stayed with me the whole time until the ambulance got here.”

A handyman was working on a window in her house and hadn’t realized Betts had fallen out front. The woman got the handyman, and between the two of them, called 911 and Betts’ sons.

“She kept saying, ‘Lay still. I’ll stay with you,’” Betts said. “She stayed the whole time and she said she would take care of everything. Then she left and I didn’t know her name. I felt so bad because I didn’t get to thank her.”

Betts spent two weeks at the Bayhealth Sussex Campus in Milford, where she underwent surgery and inpatient physical therapy. She said she received excellent care from the nurses, doctors and therapists, and that the person who cleaned her room even called her after her discharge to check on her.

“I really appreciate it,” Betts said. “Everyone treated me wonderfully.”

Back at home for an Oct. 12 interview, Betts said she hasn’t had to cook a meal since she was discharged from the hospital. 

“Today, I stood up and did my ironing; I thought I did real good,” Betts said. “God’s been good to me, that’s for sure. I’m 90 years old, so I’m thankful.”

The one thing nagging Betts is the unknown identity of the woman who helped her, so she is hoping to make contact with her and thank her properly. If you assisted Betts, call 302-684-4774.