Most certainly - similar things have happened on a number of occasions, but really this one incident impacted me more deeply, in retrospect. Like you say, though, I may have been overwhelmed from sensing his desperation and not really understanding the degree of how fucked he was at the time. I've looked back on it many times and I realize that he was quite fucked, by his situation.
There have been enough times when I was "rescued" that I feel like I need to do some more rescuing, still.
Me too. There have been several times that complete strangers have gone out if their way to rescue me and there have been several times that I have gone out of my way to rescue complete strangers as well. I still feel that I need to rescue more people too, to sort of pay them back.
There have also been a few times when I have whizzed right past something, totally delighted with things in my own life, self centered, almost mindless and wondered later if someone there may have needed help.
I have a few of those instances to make up for, also.