Joyce Butler is grateful to a Good Samaritan who came to her grandson鈥檚 aid following a motor-vehicle accident on Highway 1 near Sorrento.
After spending the holiday in Salmon Arm celebrating the marriage of their son Paul Butler to daughter-in-law Kaya, Joyce and her husband Wallace, accompanied by the newlyweds, had just left to drive home to Jasper on Wednesday, Dec. 27, when they received a telephone call. It was from their grandson, Adrian Butler, who had left Salmon Arm the same day for Victoria.
Adrian explained he鈥檇 been in a motor-vehicle accident but was uninjured. Adrian was being helped by a man who lived nearby and was looking after him.
Joyce said they turned their vehicle around and were at the accident scene within 15 minutes.
鈥淗e gave us pretty explicit instructions over the telephone of how to find him and, when we arrived, there were a couple of cars pulled off on the shoulder of the road with flashing lights, so we knew we were at the right spot. But we saw no sign of our grandson鈥檚 car or him,鈥� said Joyce.
Adrian鈥檚 accident occurred west of Sorrento near Meek鈥檚 Point. A Chase RCMP report states the driver of a 2013 Kia Rio was attempting a left turn from Des Fosses Road into the westbound lane. The vehicle was unable to accelerate, however, due to icy roads.
A westbound Toyota Matrix, driven by Adrian, quickly approached the slow-moving Kia. Unable to stop in time, Adrian pulled onto the right-hand shoulder of the highway.
While Adrian was able to avoid a collision, the snow-covered shoulder gave way and the Toyota slid down a 30-foot embankment.
Police say the vehicle did not roll and the driver was able to get out uninjured. The driver of the Kia was issued a violation ticket.
鈥淵ou cannot imagine how we felt when we got to the edge of the road and looked down the embankment; we couldn鈥檛 believe he was not injured,鈥� said Joyce. 鈥淏ut he assured us he was OK and so did the gentleman with him.鈥�
Following the Good Samaritan鈥檚 directions, Joyce and company made their way to the stranger鈥檚 house on Tate Place, where they found Adrian in good health, albeit shaken by the accident.
Joyce regrets not getting the man鈥檚 name, but says the family is 鈥渋mmensely grateful for his kindness to our grandson and to us.鈥�
鈥淭he best Christmas gift was that our grandson was able to walk away from what could have been a very serious accident, and that he was supported by someone who came to his aid,鈥� said Joyce. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know who he is but Sorrento should be very proud to lay claim to this Good Samaritan.鈥�
The Butlers wound up staying the night in Kamloops. The next day Adrian flew to Victoria and the rest of the family carried on to Jasper.
