TCA names Trimac Transportation truck driver a Highway Angel

A Canadian trucker was recently honored for his efforts to aid a man in distress last month. 

The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) named truck driver Oleksandr Tkachuk, from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada a Highway Angel for stopping and administering CPR on the side of the road during a medical emergency. Tkachuk drives for Trimac Transportation out of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

TCA explains:

Oleksandr TkachukOn 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.

“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,” said Tkachuk. “I didn’t see anyone else so I thought that I should stop.”

Tkachuk immediately realized the man on the ground was unconscious, and what appeared to be his crying younger brother was trying to administer CPR. The man was unresponsive. Tkachuk asked if he could help, since he has CPR training, so he took over for the other young man.

“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,” he said.

The young man and young woman 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.

“I was hoping to see if he survived or not, but I don’t know,” he 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.

Since the TCA Highway Angel program’s inception in August 1997, nearly 1,500 professional truck drivers have been recognized as TCA Highway Angels for exemplary kindness, courtesy, and courage displayed while on the job. Thanks to the program’s presenting sponsor, EpicVue, and supporting sponsors, DriverFacts and Northland Insurance, TCA is able to showcase outstanding drivers like Tkachuk..