Todd Doherty has to spring into action frequently as a Member of Parliament, but what he did on a flight from Vancouver to Prince George was life-changing.
On a late night flight returning to Prince George, he heard a loud bang and turned to the passenger seated next to him, who asked if he knew first aid.
Doherty then saw that a man had collapsed and had fallen into the front row of the plane where another passenger was seated. When Doherty reached the man, he was unresponsive and had no detectable heartbeat.
Another passenger helped get the man into a prone position and Doherty began to give chest compressions. The man awoke after a minute or so of chest compressions.
Doherty continued to provide care while a flight attendant spoke with the pilot, who turned the plane back around to Vancouver.
On the way back, Doherty realized he knew the man as well as his family.
Medical crews arrived and took the man to the hospital where he made a full recovery.
Today (Sept. 19), Doherty was given the St. John Ambulance life-saving award in Ottawa for his actions.
“I’m honoured to receive this award; however it was the greatest reward for me, to speak to the gentleman’s wife a couple days later and to hear he was able to come home to his young family,” he said in a press release. “It drives home the importance of knowing even basic first aid; you never know when or where you may have to apply your training and you just may save a life.”
