The current tidal wave of devastating COVID-19 pandemic in India has shattered many lives and drowned millions of dreams. Every day one reads about heartrending accounts of loss and struggles. One such account was shared by Canada-based Sarah Bezanson, whose tech support call was answered by an executive in New Delhi, one of the worst-hit states in India.

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As the two got talking, the customer care executive wept while telling her that he had “lost someone every day for 10 days.” Bezanson’s LinkedIn post has since gone viral with several users expressing grief and condolences to the executive. “I will carry that conversation with me for the rest of my life,” Bezanson wrote in response to the comments.

Here’s the full post by Bezanson:

I had to call for some tech support yesterday. While we waited for a diagnostic program to load, the gentleman on the phone made some small talk. Asked me where I was. I told him and then asked the same.

His voice caught. “New Delhi,” he said softly.

I paused. “Oh. And how are you doing?”

He broke down. “I’m sorry,” he wept. “I’m so sorry. It’s really bad here. I’ve lost someone every day for 10 days.”

Every. Single. Day. I cannot imagine.

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I tried to offer some comfort. Told him to forget the issue I’d called about. That he had nothing to be sorry for. That we could talk if he needed to or just leave the line open in silence so he could take a break from the phones and hold space for his grief.

We stayed on for almost an hour, just being humans.

We live in a connected world. You never know who you are reaching when you call a toll free line or jump into a chat. There’s a person on the other end and they may be valiantly showing up and doing their best while they are living through absolute hell.

Please be kind.