Rescuer Award recipient Nick Stojanovic with Janelle Warren from the Red Cross on a GO Transit bus.
Sometimes you hear about the work of a Good Samaritan and you are totally blown away. That’s how I felt last Friday, when I was fortunate to attend a Canadian Red Cross Rescuer Award presentation recognizing a Mississauga man who had saved someone else’s life.
Earlier this year, Nikola (Nick) Stojanovic, a GO Transit bus driver, was driving his route from Toronto to Hamilton on the QEW during rush-hour when he spotted on the road a vehicle on fire. Beside the vehicle was a man struggling to get back into his wheelchair. Realizing help was urgently needed, Nick pulled over and stopped his bus - that was full of passengers - grabbed a fire extinguisher, and rushed to assist the man.
Nick helped the man back into his wheelchair and pushed him away from the scene. He then returned to try to stop the fire. However, realizing the flames were out-of-control, he backed away. Soon afterwards, the vehicle exploded.
When he returned to his bus, his passengers, who had watched everything unfold, stood up and applauded him.
The Canadian Red Cross Rescuer Award is presented to a non-professional rescuer or off-duty first responder who has volunteered to save a life or has prevented further injury and/or provided comfort to the injured. Congrats Nick on your well-deserved award!
Read more about this story in the Mississauga News.