Two Purolator transport truck drivers being hailed as heroes

Two transport truck drivers from Guelph have received letters of praise from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) after they helped save a man’s life.

Melinda Olah, a linehaul driver with Purolator in Guelph, was driving down Hwy. 407, near the exit for Hwy. 410, on April 29 around 10 p.m. when she first spotted a man walking in the middle of four lanes of traffic.  

She watched as cars swerved around, not knowing the man was there. Olah said the man refused help and noted it was clear he was in distress. She created a rolling block, putting herself behind him so he couldn’t get struck by another oncoming vehicle.

“It was a hundred per cent that this was a cry for help, so I thought okay, this guys going to get hit for sure,” said Olah. “A bunch of people had to swerve, they were honking, passing, everything, so I just thought he’s going to get hit and he doesn’t have a chance. When he just passed my truck just a little bit I put my four ways on and I pulled out behind him and I just followed him down the highway.”

After about 40 minutes her co-worker, Manohar Rehal, was driving by and stopped to check if she was okay. He said he noticed her driving slowly with her lights flashing and didn’t see the man at first.

The two Purolator drivers were able to create a larger rolling block behind the man. A video of the block circulating on social media can be viewed on YouTube, TikTok and X.

“He may not have been happy with us at the time but I know there is somebody, a mom or a dad, sister or brother, wife or somebody that is very grateful that he’s alive and that’s what matters,” said Olah.

The drivers kept him safe even after he tried to run into other lanes to avoid them. After police arrived, Olah and Rehal did not leave, keeping their rolling block going, wanting to ensure the officers were safe as well.

“The situation isn’t any safer for them, the cruisers were in front of us, but the police officers had to be over to the side doing their thing,” added Olah. “We stayed to block the scene, so they were able to take care of everything without having to worry about their own safety.”

The OPP sent them both a letter of praise for their heroic actions that day that helped the police to intervene safely. They were able to get the man off the highway and get him into care.

“They enhanced officer safety by affording some degree of protection allowing our officers to have an intervention that ended well,” said staff sergeant Nathan Majer with the Highway Safety Division. Majer said he made an application to have them formally recognized with an award that is given out annually by the OPP.

“Their involvement put themselves at risk because of the speeds that are travelled on our highways. For them to do a slow, rolling block put themselves at risk of getting struck perhaps by another motorist who wouldn’t be paying attention, I think that in itself is heroic.”

Olah and Rehal said they were overwhelmed and happy to be recognized.