RCMP celebrates a rural Saskatchewan hero leading stranded motorists to safety amid Monday’s snowstorm.
An intense Alberta flashing swept through the prairies that last day in January that left many people stranded on roads with near-zero visibility and many highways closed.
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Police say one road rescuer – Barry Kennedy – helped 11 vehicles return to safety.
“What I found out when he was on the road, he found one person and another,” said staff sgt. Burton Jones of the Yorkton Detachment. “He created a convoy leading back to Yorkton with all the vehicles following him.”
A few members of the public reached out to the Yorkton Department to thank the person who saved them from the treacherous conditions Monday night. No one took his name that night – only a vehicle description and license plate number.
Sers. Jones used the information provided to track down Kennedy. He then called him and asked to meet and said he wanted to present something to him.
“I was really touched and I wanted to reach out to this gentleman,” Jones said.
Jones and another Yorkton police officer met Wednesday with Kennedy and his wife at a Canadian Tire parking lot. Both officers personally thanked him and awarded him a Yorkton RCMP Challenge Coin.
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Kennedy, who lives on an area between Yorkton and Melville, said when he received the phone call from sergeant. Jones, he thought it was a prank.
“Not much in my life that the RCMP wanted to give me,” he laughed.
Kennedy clearly remembers the events of Monday night. He got a phone call from his daughter who was stuck on the grid road. As he went to her rescue, he came across other motorists who were also stuck.
“There was a young lady, she was crying and had her father over the phone,” he said. “She was immediately stressed and still trying to get to work. I made her turn around and [join] the line. “
Kennedy said it was a scary ride when he pulled it to Yorkton with white knuckles. All he thought was to make sure everyone got to their destinations.
“I chased 11 vehicles and we made it safely to Yorkton,” he said. “People stopped giving me hugs and thanked me.”
Kennedy said it is in the nature of Saskatchewan people to help each other, especially in difficult times like these.
He did not know his efforts would have such a ripple effect of gratitude. The unexpected honor and gift of the coin, though small, means something much greater.
“There are a lot of people out there who have gone further [measures] that night throughout Saskatchewan, ”Kennedy said. “I wish I could share it [coin] with each of them. ”
Sers. Jones said it is very rare for the special Yorkton RCMP Challenge Coins to be issued.
“We do not just give it to anyone,” he said. “They are held and reserved for people who have done extraordinary deeds such as [Kennedy] did. ”
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