By Darius King Imagine being stranded on the side of the road, your car upside down in a ditch, with no phone signal to call for help. But what if, instead of waiting for rescue, you're met with kindness and compassion from a team of hockey players who just happened to be driving by? That's exactly what happened to June Johnson, a woman from Maine who lost control of her car on a cold January night while driving home to Quebec City. As she struggled to free herself from the wreckage, a team of four hockey players from the Les Bataillon de Saint-Hyacinthe, a junior hockey team in the North American Hockey League, pulled over and rushed to her aid. The team, which was on its way to a game, saw the car accident and quickly sprang into action. As told to CTV News, Samuel Loiselle, a defenceman on the ...
By Darius King
Imagine being stranded on the side of the road, your car upside down in a ditch, with no phone signal to call for help. But what if, instead of waiting for rescue, you’re met with kindness and compassion from a team of hockey players who just happened to be driving by?
That’s exactly what happened to June Johnson, a woman from Maine who lost control of her car on a cold January night while driving home to Quebec City. As she struggled to free herself from the wreckage, a team of four hockey players from the Les Bataillon de Saint-Hyacinthe, a junior hockey team in the North American Hockey League, pulled over and rushed to her aid.
The team, which was on its way to a game, saw the car accident and quickly sprang into action. As told to CTV News, Samuel Loiselle, a defenceman on the team, was the first to respond. “As soon as I could, I ran to the car,” he recalled. “I opened the door. It was kind of heavy because the car was upside down, so gravity was against me.”
Loiselle and his teammates quickly helped Johnson out of the car, checking her for injuries and making sure she was okay. “I told her, ‘Are you OK? Do you have any injuries, you think?'” Loiselle said. “She told me, ‘No, I just want to get out as fast as I can.'” Loiselle was relieved to hear that she didn’t have any serious injuries and helped her out of the car.
The team waited with Johnson until paramedics arrived, ensuring that she received the medical attention she needed. It was a heartwarming display of kindness and sportsmanship, one that has left many in the community in awe.
The incident has also sparked a debate about Canadian stereotypes and the notion that hockey players are tough and aggressive. But for Loiselle and his teammates, it was simply a matter of doing what was right.
“We’re not just hockey players, we’re human beings,” Loiselle said. “We care about our community and we want to help those in need.”
The Les Bataillon de Saint-Hyacinthe’s selfless act has been hailed as a heroic example of teamwork and community service. It’s a reminder that even in the midst of chaos and uncertainty, there are still good people out there who are willing to lend a helping hand.
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