A pair of Purolator transport truck drivers from Guelph, Ont. are being hailed as heroes for their efforts in helping a person in crisis.
On April 29, at around 10:30 p.m., a man was spotted walking in the middle of Highway 407 by the Highway 410 on-ramp near Brampton, Ont.
“It was very last minute that I saw him, then I had to act quickly,” line haul driver Melinda Olah recalled.
She pulled over and began yelling at the man as she tried to get him out of the live lanes of traffic.
Olah quickly realized the man was in distress after he looked directly at her and didn’t respond.
“Quite a few people came very close to hitting him as well. So the visibility of him was next to zero,” she said.
Olah called police, but knew she couldn’t wait for them to arrive.
“I decided to pull out onto the highway with my four-way [lights] on and drove behind him. I gave him a little space in case I did get hit or something,” she said.
Without blocking traffic completely, Olah followed the man from lane to lane for approximately 20 minutes as other vehicles passed by.
Then, some unexpected backup arrived.
“Another transport truck was coming up and it just happened to be Manohar,” she said.
Her fellow Purolator driver, Manohar Rehal, who is also from Guelph, arrived at that time only by chance. He was running behind on his current route.
Rehal asked why she was driving so slow with her hazard lights on. She pointed ahead and he realized what they were dealing with, so he jumped into action too.
The pair drove alongside each other on the highway. Olah’s truck was slightly ahead, while Rehal’s was staggered behind to create a barrier and alert other drivers until officers got there.
“It was a relief for me. It was raining and it was dark and the cops show up and we are like ‘OK, I did my responsibility,’” Rehal said.
Both Olah and Rehal were recognized by the Ontario Provincial Police Highway Safety Division for their decisive actions that day. Police sent a letter to Purolator indicating they were looking to formally recognize the duo in the near future.
“Their quick thinking and selflessness undoubtedly saved the person’s life, enhanced officer safety and prevented a potential tragedy from unfolding,” the letter read, in part.
Rehal also credited Olah for being the first to arrive and taking immediate action. He said it was a no-brainer for him to assist.
“I’m going to help you out, you’re on my team,” he explained.
The Purolator coworkers are now bonded forever for safely delivering precious cargo in more ways than one.
