ALEXANDRIA, Va. —The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has named Oleksandr Tkachuka a TCA Highway Angel for stopping and administering CPR on the side of the road during a medical emergency.
Tkachuk, from Edmonton, Alberta, drives for Trimac Transportation out of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
On May 5, in Hardisty, Alberta, Tkachuk, an independent contractor out of Trimac’s Hardisty branch, pulled over to assist a vehicle stopped on the shoulder.
Tkachuk to the Rescue
“On the side of the road I saw a vehicle and two young people were helping a young man, probably about 25, who was on the ground,” Tkachuk said. “I didn’t see anyone else so I thought that I should stop.”
Tkachuk immediately realized the man was unconscious, and what appeared to be his crying younger brother was trying to administer CPR. The man was unresponsive. Tkachuk, who has CPR training, asked if he could help and took over for the young man.
Life-Saving Measures
“I was trained in CPR and I was hoping that I wouldn’t have to use it in my life, but I needed to use it. I was doing chest compressions for this guy who was on the ground,” Tkachuk said.
The young people who were at the scene held the phone up, with 911 dispatch personnel on the phone talking Tkachuk through the procedure. He performed CPR for about 20 minutes, until emergency personnel arrived and took over. The young man never regained consciousness while he was there.
Rising to the Challenge
“I was hoping to see if he survived or not, but I don’t know,” Tkachuk said. “I was doing what I was trained to do.”
His courage, quick thinking and willingness to help in a life-threatening situation are a powerful reminder of what it means to rise to the challenge.
To read more stories of inspiring Highway Angels, click here.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
