Today we delivered water to older folks around town. Druzhkovka hasn’t had gas or water in months now. Thankfully my aunt has a well. At one of the last stops on our list an older woman that I recognized from our clinic came out. Her name was Masha. She was happy to see that we were delivering water but seemed stressed and hassled. She asked if she can get water from us as well and we told her yes. She told me about how she just had a really serious surgery, how she lives on the 5th floor, how she needs to get the water containers etc. She was worried that we were going to leave but we told her to relax a little and that we will wait however long we need to get her water. She went to her apartment on the 5th floor, and rushed back with her husband who brought the containers to fill. I help her sit down on a bench and she starts telling us how she’s not feeling very well. She yells at her husband for not being helpful with this water situation. I look away for a second to turn and see her collapse on the bench. We grab water and try to spray her to wake her up. Galya is calling the ambulance and we are yelling for help. I’m gently slapping her cheeks and checking her pulse on her hand and neck and am freaking out that I can’t feel anything. We did the lights in eye test to see if there was a response. No response. Galya is googling what to do if someone has a stroke. I went to check the pulse of a different person to make sure I’m not just losing my mind and not able to tell. Her lips turn blue. The paramedics arrive and tell us she’s dead. I couldn’t believe it. I saw flies on her face and went to shoo them away. Her eyes were still open, I closed them. It’s hard to not think if the stress of the water situation caused her to die. What if we just told her no from the beginning, or didn’t come to this place at all. Would she still be alive? Should I have just taken the time to listen to what was causing her stress and gotten those containers myself? The questions are endless. The stress that everyone is going through is truly too much to handle. This wasn’t the first person that died while trying to get water. I just never expected it to be on my watch.