Nearly $2,000 Given To Edison Man Robbed After Saving Woman

EDISON, NJ - On Friday, we told you a 34-year-old Edison man was robbed of his backpack after he jumped onto the train tracks to help a woman who fainted. Now, that same man received a $1,000 "thank you" gift from the Edison PBA. This in addition to the GoFundMe page started in his honor, and Patch received multiple emails from readers asking how they can help him.

Anil Vannavalli, an Edison resident and father of two, was waiting for his usual commuter train at 7:40 a.m. Friday at the Edison station when he saw a young woman faint, and topple down onto the tracks. He immediately dropped his backpack and jumped onto the tracks to get her, along with two other men. It was when they pulled her back up, and taken her to EMS, that he noticed something: His backpack, which contained his laptop and cash, was missing.

"I heard about the story over the weekend; some of the officers involved told me what happened," Edison PBA president Michael Schwarz told Patch. "I kept thinking about him losing his property while he was doing a good deed. It just doesn't get lower than this, a guy risking his own life, with little kids at home. We wanted to do something and just thought this was a nice gesture."

The PBA presented Vannavalli with the check Monday, which will go to help recoup the stolen items, including his laptop, headphones and $200 in cash.

But the story gets better:

“Mr. Vannavalli is such an honest, decent young man that when he realized the Edison PBA’s donation was $300 more than what he originally lost, he offered to reimburse the difference,” Police Chief Thomas Bryan revealed to Patch. “Given the circumstances, Mike (Schwarz) and I told him that was completely unnecessary.”

This is in addition to the GoFundMe page someone set up for Vannavalli, which so far raised $978 of its $2,000 goal. A resident of the Villas of Fairway on Stelton Road in Piscataway, which is the condo complex where Vannavalli lives, set up the page. He will be presented with the check this Sunday, May 7 at 9:30 a.m. at the Fairway community clubhouse.

Multiple people also emailed Patch, saying they were struck by the story and asking if they could help. And Edison Police Chief Bryan said he intends to submit Vannavalli's name for a citizen-heroism award.

"It's an honor this young man certainly deserves," the chief said.

The woman fainted because she hadn't had anything to eat or drink that morning. She suffered a broken ankle and fractured knee.

Pictured is Anil Vannavalli

Original Patch reporting: Edison Commuter Robbed While Helping Woman Who Fell On Tracks