Citizens were given Abbotsford Police Board commendations. Five citizens received commendations from the Abbotsford Police Board for saving the life of a man who jumped off the Mission Bridge.
Roger Williams, Jessie Garrison, Martin Hanle, Heather Hanle and Ron Thomas were given credit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTyoscIM3ic
Rescue attempt
The first 4 were in vehicles when they saw a man park his vehicle on the middle of the bridge. He got out and jumped into the fast-moving, cold waters below.
Williams is a member of Mission Search and Rescue and Garrison who is a registered nurse pulled over and saw that the victim was still moving in the water. The Hanles also got out of their vehicle and saw the man.
The 4 got back into their vehicles and drove to the Mission Harbour Boat Launch to find a boat to rescue the victim. Thomas who was the marine operator, took Garrison, Williams and Martin Hanle on the Fraser River to find the victim as Heather Hanle waited on the dock.
Upon finding the victim, Martin and Williams dragged him out of the water and Garrison delivered CPR. They arrived back at the boat launch where Heather helped Garrison with CPR until the paramedics arrived. Unfortunately, the man did not survive.
According to Mayor Henry Braun, the quick-thinking and selfless effort gave the victim a chance to survive. It was a chance he would not otherwise have.
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LEARN MORE
Learn how to help by enrolling in a class on first aid and CPR and for more information, check out these sources:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/first-aid/cpr/