A Fergus man was honoured by the Guelph Police Service on May 17 for his part in saving a man’s life last year.
Larry Johnston was driving home in late March 2016 when the vehicle behind him swerved into the ditch on Imperial Road, north of Highway 7, in Guelph.
Johnston pulled over, called 911 and went over to the vehicle. Johnston did not know it at the time, but Les Fletcher of Fergus was suffering a cardiac arrest.
“The window was down a little bit and I was able to get my hand in and unlock his door and then undid his seatbelt and pulled him into the ditch,” said Johnston, who originally thought Fletcher was choking.
“I started hauling on his chest. I thought he was dead pretty much, but a guy on the road told me to keep going, to try to get him oxygen.
“So I did and the ambulance showed up.”
When Fletcher was taken away by ambulance, Johnston wasn’t sure Fletcher was going to live.
“I was hoping he was (going to make it),” said Johnston.
“They shocked him three times or so … I wasn’t too sure what was going to happen.”
But Fletcher did pull through and he says Johnston is the reason why.
“He worked on me, or they worked on me, for 11 minutes before the fire truck got there to take over,” said Fletcher.
“If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have made it.”
Fletcher doesn’t remember much of that day, but after being released from the hospital a few weeks after the incident, he and his wife were able to track down and thank those who stopped to help him.
“It was an amazing thing he did for me, a complete stranger,” Fletcher said.
Johnston and Fletcher were at the awards ceremony hosted by Guelph Police on May 17, where Johnston received the Citizen Award, which is given to a civilian who demonstrated support for the Guelph Police or for an act that had an impact on someone’s quality of life, demonstrated bravery or defended someone’s rights.
Detective Staff Sergeant Tom Gill said Johnston received a standing ovation at the awards night.
“In my opinion, good deeds are worthy of recognition,” Gill said.
“He didn’t have to do what he did. A lot of people probably wouldn’t have stopped, but I’m certainly glad that he did because as a result of doing so, he saved a life.
“Had he not stopped that gentleman probably would have succumbed to a heart attack in his vehicle.”
Fletcher said the planets aligned for him that day and he is glad Johnston, who has first aid training, stopped to help.
“He deserves everything that they are giving him, and we thank people like him, that have the training and are able to follow through on the training,” said Fletcher,
“There aren’t any words that I could say to make up for that.”
Johnston was not sure why he wanted to help, but said that’s just the way he is.
“I honestly didn’t think I did anything, but I guess I did,” he said. “I just wanted to help him.”
