LONG SAULT – The Township of South Stormont has recognized a Long Sault man and his family for his heroic actions on a bay west of Long Sault.
Rodney Wilson, his wife, Adele, and children Isabella, 9, and Zachary, 6, were at a South Stormont council meeting Wednesday where Rodney received a certificate of appreciation.
Fire Chief Gilles Crepeau recounted the story of Rodney’s actions in saving a couple from Montreal on Hoople Bay last month.
“For some reason, by fate, Rodney decided to pull into Hoople Bay so he can let his kids go for a swim,” Crepeau said.
The chief said Rodney heard a cry for help and found two people in distress across the bay after leaving his wife and children at the beach to investigate.
Two people from Montreal, who were in a dingy, were in distress after their vessel capsized.
“I believe that the lady was not a strong swimmer and what happened was when they fell in the water the dingy drifted away so, when Rodney got there, the lady was very close to drowning,” Crepeau recounted.
He said Rodney was met with the challenge of trying to rescue two people panicking in the water who could have easily pulled him in or under the water.
“Rodney made the decision to jump in the water to help these two people. You can imagine two people that are drowning, somebody approaching them, one of the dangers of that is…people are going to grab onto you. Obviously he got the situation under control.”
Rodney Wilson managed to get the two people on his boat and took them to a nearby beach where police, firefighters and paramedics were waiting.
“Because of Rodney’s efforts and his quick thinking and the decisions that he made I believe he didn’t save one life, he probably saved two lives that day,” Crepeau said before a round of applause in the council chambers.
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