Quick action saved the day
Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Apr 06/01) - Brenda Walsh was driving home from Wal-Mart last Friday and John Sorenson was on his way to Caribou Carnival when their lives intersected.
Sorenson, 18, saved an unconscious Walsh and her two young children from a possible life-threatening accident when he leaped into her truck, slammed on the breaks and shoved it into park before it rolled into oncoming traffic.
Walsh was stopped for a red light in the left-hand lane of Old Airport Road when her vehicle was hit from behind by a pick-up truck. Her head hit the steering wheel and she was knocked unconscious.
Sorenson was stopped at the same red light at the intersection of Old Airport and Range Lake roads when he saw the accident, jumped out of his vehicle and into Walsh's before it could roll into the intersection.
"He was my guardian angel," said Walsh when the two finally met in Walsh's home Wednesday night.
Walsh's two children, Braden, three, and Madison Moritz, 22 months, were both in the truck last Friday on afternoon of the accident.
"I'm glad you were there," she told Sorenson after the two embraced.
"My children are my biggest priority."
Sorenson said he was nervous about meeting Walsh before he arrived at her house.
He's a little uncomfortable with the hero label. He said he didn't think about what he did. He just did it.
"My heart was going, I'd never seen a hurt person before.
"I'm just happy to see you were OK," he said to Walsh.
All Walsh remembers about the incident is reaching down to turn off the truck stereo. She woke up as paramedics put her in a stretcher and carried her into the back of an ambulance for the short ride to Stanton Regional Hospital.
After he stopped the truck he ran to the Circle K to call the police and the ambulance.
Walsh believes Sorenson is a hero and said the incident has created a bond between two people who were total strangers.
"If you're ever stuck, if you ever need anything, phone here," said Walsh to Sorenson.
"It doesn't matter the time, give us a call."
Before Sorenson left Walsh took a picture of him with her two children.
