Teacher rushes to help save a life following Regina crash

If it hadn’t been for Bryan Rice rushing into action, who knows what would have happened to a 58-year-old man involved in a crash in Regina on Monday.

Rice was sitting in his truck with his two children as they waited on Gordon Road to turn onto Lewvan Drive. Rice said all of a sudden, the car at the front of the queue surged forward into the intersection, glancing off one car, hitting another, and then ended up stuck up against a light pole.

That’s when Rice jumped into action. He said he put on his four-way flashers, started honking his horn, and drove across the intersection. He parked near the crashed car on the grass.

“I started banging on the window and I couldn’t get any response from him,” said Rice.

The police later said the man was in medical distress.

Rice got a wrench from his truck and broke the back window. He then dragged the man out of the car.

“A woman started chest compressions, so then I did the breaths for the CPR, and we were able to get him revived,” recounted Rice.

Rice is a teacher at Scott Collegiate, but his first career was as an EMT, 10 years ago.

“As soon as I saw what was going on with him waiting at the light, I just had to do something. And I figured I had the experience and knowledge, and also I just, I knew there was something bad that happened that I could help out with.”

When emergency services arrived, Rice and the woman backed off. The Regina Police Service later said the 58-year old man who was driving was sent to hospital in serious condition, but was soon upgraded to stable.

Rice said, as a teacher and a coach, he uses his EMT skills all the time.

“I look forward to doing it. It’s nice to have the training and then be able to actually use it in real life.”

Rice’s two sons were in the truck with him when it happened. He said his 10-year-old kept peeking out of the car to see what was happening, and is proud of his dad for taking action.