Man who saved Anamika Gupta's life after she was shot at Leopold played Santa at J J Hospital
By all accounts, Anamika Gupta should not be alive. Facing the first bullets of the November 26 tragedy at Leopold Cafe, the 28-year-old beautician was hurt in the abdomen and her windpipe.
But she lived because of the timely help of Felix Ambrose who ensured she got medical help. And yesterday, Ambrose once again brightened Anamika's day by organising a surprise Christmas lunch for her and other terror victims at J J Hospital.
Christmas party
Soothing the stitches that remind Anamika of the four bullets that ruptured her abdomen and a part of her windpipe, Anamika can't help but repeat how lucky she is. "I never thought that celebrating Christmas would be possible. If not for Ambrose, till a few days ago, even my survival was doubtful," said Anamika, who enjoyed the pastries and biryani that Santa had got her.
Ambrose, who works at a communications centre next to Leopold Cafe, said of that night, "At 9.20 pm a loud blast shook the entire area. Gunfire soon followed." As the gunfire reduced a little, Ambrose walked out to find Anamika a little down the road near Colaba police station.
'Handsome men'
Anamika who was shopping with friends for her brother's wedding at the Causeway decided to dine at Leopold Cafe. "Sitting right across our table were two young men carrying huge rucksacks," recalled Anamika. Ironically, they even discussed how handsome they were.
In a few minutes, however, the two men just got up and lobbed a grenade at the manager's counter. Then there was gunfire. Still not having realised that a spray of bullets had hit her, Anamika got on to her knees and walked out of the cafe.
As Anamika was walking out, one of the two men was there again firing across the street. "Seeing that I was bleeding and dragging myself, the terrorist ignored me, perhaps assuming that I would soon pass out," she said. As Anamika's call for help at the police station went unheard, she moved a little ahead to collapse and find Ambrose.
Seeing that Anamika was about to lose consciousness, Ambrose even slapped her a few times so that she would stay awake. It was 11.10 pm when he rushed Anamika to the hospital in a lone cab, luckily available on a street strewn with blood and bodies.
