Taylor, a wealthy oil executive, prided himself on control—over his finances, his family, and even his beliefs. Scarred by a childhood tragedy where a misdiagnosis cost his mother her life, Taylor grew to mistrust doctors and refused to spend money on what he deemed “unnecessary,” including hiring a nanny or seeking medical help for his wife Polly, who had recently fainted from anemia.
His rigid mindset extended to everyday life. One morning, while rushing to a meeting, Taylor found himself stuck in traffic. When an ambulance tried to pass, he refused to move, convinced it was a ploy to bypass the jam. The driver pleaded, saying a child inside needed urgent care. Taylor stood firm, unmoved by the desperation.
Later that day, Taylor received a call that shattered his world—his son Mark had suffered a head injury and was rushed to the hospital. The ambulance that had fought to get through traffic? It was carrying his son.
At the hospital, Taylor learned that Mark survived only because the ambulance arrived in time. The surgeon’s words hit hard: “If they had taken longer, we might be having a different conversation.”
Taylor was left speechless, haunted by the irony. His refusal to trust medicine nearly cost him his son. The man who blocked help had unknowingly endangered the very person he loved most.
