Tearful grandmother stranded at station

By Callan Date
AN 85yearold grandmother was left confused and in tears last week after being left stranded at the end of the Pakenham train line.
A pleasant day with friends turned to disarray for the elderly commuter after she missed her Dandenong trainstop and wound up in Pakenham at 12.30am last Thursday.
The Dandenong woman was lost and distressed as she wandered in the dark from the train station to the Pakenham shopping strip.
Good Samaritan Sheron Alberni noticed the upset woman after finishing work and had to drive past twice to believe what she was seeing.
“I don’t know if she fell asleep on the train or just got a bit disorientated but the poor thing was in tears when I first spoke to her,” Ms Alberni said.
Once she had doublechecked the unusual situation, the Safeway dutymanager stopped and calmed the lady before offering her assistance.
Ms Alberni said the elderly woman had made an afternoon trip to visit friends in Caulfield and ended up stuck in Pakenham with no way home.
“I asked her if I could call anyone but she was quite confused so I offered her a lift,” she said.
After first taking her to Pakenham police station, Ms Alberni eventually took the woman to her intended destination in Dandenong.
“Pakenham police were really good and offered to drive her home, but they were pretty busy and were unable to do it straight away.”
Ms Alberni said the woman had walked to Pakenham Plaza shopping centre from the train station to seek some help.
She said somebody called the police for the woman but that was it.
“I can’t believe that an upset and lost 85yearold could just be left like that.”
Ms Alberni said the woman was appreciative as she took her back to her Dandenong home.
“I’m just grateful that no harm was done to the lady while she was wandering the streets.”