On Aug. 15 at 9:30 p.m., my 79-year-old
father was going for his evening walk when a speeding car hit him in the 3800 block of 36th Street.
Witnesses at the scene tell us that the bright silver SUV which hit him, slammed on the brakes very loudly, stopped momentarily and then drove away without inquiring to his condition or rendering assistance. The first witness was only 10 feet away in a parked car and was at my father’s side within seconds, just after the car drove off. His immediate efforts of stabilizing my father’s spine and reducing the bleeding saved his life.
My father is now in intensive care in critical condition, and is trying to recover from three neck fractures in addition to other life-threatening injuries.
He is in a medically induced coma, with a breathing tube. His neck is filled with plates and pins from emergency surgery and his face and head is covered with staples and stitches. He will be in the hospital for months requiring heavy sedation and heavy pain killers. He may not recover. Prior to this accident, he lived independently and was enjoying his semi-retirement.
I would like to thank the three heroes who acted within seconds and did everything right to save my father’s life. I would also like to thank the fire department for arriving in about two minutes from the 911 call, and to the ambulance RCMP and hospital staff for their outstanding care and compassion.
If you have any information about this accident, call the RCMP at 250-545-7171, regarding file 13-17373, or 250-545-1371 if you prefer to not speak with the police.
Name withheld
