Naomi Strain had her bag stolen while having an epileptic fit near Stoke, Nelson. The mother of the boys who took the bag agreed to do a first aid course.

A Nelson woman who had her possessions stolen after suffering a seizure has healed wounds with the culprits in the most practical way possible – enrolling them in a first aid course.



Naomi Strain suffers from uncontrolled epilepsy, which restricts her ability to get about in the outdoors.



"I have one or two a week, sometimes – a lot of the time I'll stay at home to make sure I'm not having them out in public but at the same time I don't want to just sit around doing nothing so I do take myself off on my own and do things," she said.



Strain was riding her bike on the coastal track between Stoke and Richmond this week when she felt a fit coming on.

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While she had enough time to chain her bike to a bench before the seizure took hold, when she came around she realised her backpack had gone, along with her bike helmet, wallet and medical ID.

Strain estimated that she lost around 90 minutes each time she had a seizure due to memory loss beforehand and during the recovery period which often made her confused and drowsy.

BRADEN FASTIER Naomi Strain had her bag stolen after having an epileptic fit near Stoke.

After enduring another seizure once she got home, Strain put a plea for her bag's return on social media.

Through the Nelson Pay-it-Forward Facebook page, Strain was contacted by a woman who told her she may have found her bag and possessions - at the bottom of her sons' wardrobe.

"She was so embarrassed - mortified really - but said: 'Did I want her to drop it at the police station or meet up?'."

BRADEN FASTIER Naomi Strain was riding her bike when she had an epileptic seizure. When she came to, she realised she had been robbed.

Strain went to the "lovely" family's home where she came face to face with the two siblings responsible, aged 13 and 14.

"Apparently the elder brother had dared the younger one [to take it] - they'd both come across me, were sh**t scared and didn't know what to do so they just grabbed the bag and ran.

"I think it was literally a spur of the moment thing, playing silly buggers with no thought into it at all."

BRADEN FASTIER Naomi Strain has had her faith restored in humanity after dealing with mother of the boys who stole her bag.

Once Strain explained how the theft affected her, the conversation turned to restorative justice.

The brothers offered to carry out some work for her, but she had a more practical suggestion.

As well as making the boys pay to have her bank cards replaced, she asked both to attend a first aid course which everyone agreed to.

"She could give me a few quid and it wouldn't mean anything, but if they can go off and learn what to do in the future – if they came across somebody in the same situation they'll be able to do something about it," she said.

Strain said the mother had a lot of support on Facebook for confronting the boys and admitting her son's actions. She did not have to do that.

"They've learned a damn lesson and their mum is lovely and very, very apologetic.

"They're just kids and they probably freaked out so they were not thinking straight and laughing, joking and taking the piss is a bit of a defence mechanism and a lot easier to deal with."

If you come across a person having a seizure: