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Letter: Strangers came to rescue when blood started gushing

The Editor, On April 27, I was parked at Home Depot in Port Coquitlam and in the process of going to return the buggy to its stand when I was startled by a truck beside me and my closing passenger door nicked my lower leg.
emergency

The Editor,

On April 27, I was parked at Home Depot in Port Coquitlam and in the process of going to return the buggy to its stand when I was startled by a truck beside me and my closing passenger door nicked my lower leg.

I grabbed my leg, blood gushed out, soaked the asphalt and filled my runner.

First to come to my aid were a lovely Asian couple who gave me all their clean paper towels to sop up spraying blood. The language barrier did not stop their assistance, and I heard them say “911.”

I thanked them for the towelling but it was filling up fast.

Then, three young men rushed over. One immediately applied pressure to my leg, another gave him a shirt, which was then wrapped around my leg. Another called 911. A folded tarp was brought over for me to try to elevate my leg.

At this point, all I could do was lean against my car, saying I’m OK, thank you.

I think I owe one young man a shirt as his eventually helped stop the blood flow from the gash but not before it was soaked. The tarp didn’t fare that well, either.

Another young man was waiting for a phone call after his job interview but he did not stop applying pressure to the wound until the ambulance paramedics arrived and took over.

To all these people, you all went above and beyond and did not hesitate to help. You acted calm but I could see concern on your faces.

When the ambulance crew arrived, my Samaritans filled them in on what transpired and then the two remaining young men introduced themselves to one another. I wrongly assumed they all knew each other but found out later that they were strangers who worked as a team to help me.

Thank you to the two Home Depot employees who came out with wipes for me to try and clean my hands of dripping blood, and to one of my good Samaritans, who had asked for assistance.

I have never shared a personal story before publicly and we all have many. Thank you does not seem enough.

D. Edwards, Coquitlam