A community in Canada worked together to ensure a stranded truck driver had everything he needed while awaiting assistance in La Loche this week.
The unnamed truck driver was hauling an ‘isolation unit’ through the town of La Loche in Saskatchewan, Canada when he became stuck on a tricky portion of road with no warning signs, despite a weight restriction and seasonal closures.
Brenda Kokan-Janvier and her husband were on their way to a hardware store when they noticed the struck rig along Highway 956 at Christina River Crossing. They checked in on the driver, but were unable to help unstick his rig with their small vehicle, so they went on their way.
On the way home, the couple stopped to pick up some food for the driver and double check that he was doing okay.
“We went to Fort Mac to pick up the supplies and, on the way back, we picked up food for him and dropped it off,” she said to Prince Albert Now News. “Before leaving I got his number and I asked if it was OK if I contacted him just to see if he got help.”
The next day, the driver was still stuck, and explained to Kokan-Janvier that the tow truck that was supposed to pull him out never arrived, and he had weathered temperatures of -22’F that evening. The situation seemed so dire, that the driver’s father even showed up to make sure his stranded son was okay.
That’s when the community knew they had to step in. News of the stranded driver spread and as many as 20 people flocked to the stranded truck in an attempt to free it. The rescue attempt took all day, but the rig was finally freed at around 8:30 on Tuesday night.
“I’m very proud of the community for stepping up, not asking for anything and trying whatever they could to band together and help out this young guy get to La Loche safely,” she said. “I’m just glad everything turned out OK and the drivers are on their way back to Edmonton. His father showed up yesterday just like any parent would do worried about their child.”
Way to go, all!
