Jordan works this summer as a student in the city of Waterloo. We are Sunday July 6. He works that day at the nautical boats rental kiosk at the municipal beach.
The day is going quite well. He works from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The temperature is perfect. The deluge, however, settles at the end of the evening on this part of Estrie.
It is 6:30 p.m. and the rain is a pump. Jordan Charles, sheltered from bad weather, suddenly hears a whistle noise, that normally attached to a life jacket.
“I look at my colleague and tell myself that it is possibly a child who plays with a whistle, since it happens quite often. At first, to be honest, I thought of a joke, ”says the 18 -year -old in an interview with The voice of the East.
But whistle noise does not stop.
“We got out of the shelter, me and my colleague. In the distance, I saw a kayaker rising his paddle in the air. I thought he is in distress. I approach the platform and witnesses tell me that a person is in danger. ”
— Jordan Charles
No time to think!
Jordan Charles did not hesitate for a second. He plunged into underwear in Lake Waterloo in the pouring rain. A keen and cautious, despite the emergency, he brought with him two flotation jackets.
“I swam, the kayaker is in the middle of the lake. The body of water is small, but when swimming, it is difficult for the legs, arms and shoulders. I arrive at kayak, another person is in the water. The lady drowns, according to what I have been told, because of a calf cramp that occurred by making lengths. ”
He therefore put the swimmer’s flotation jacket. Jordan grabbed it by the tongue of the vest to swim to the bank, near the quay. His colleague called on emergency services in the meantime. The firefighters and paramedics are on site at his arrival in a safe place.
“I was greeted by the first respondents to the quay, including my uncle and my cousin. They are both firefighters, ”illustrates the young hero, from Sherbrooke.
Humble, Jordan Charles praised the result of teamwork. Without the kayaker, he would never have seen the danger. The swimmer may have lost her life that evening.
“I don’t want to take all the credit. The woman would not be there today, no one would have seen her with the big deluge. ”
— Jordan Charles
The victim is aware at the time of the facts, but out of breath. She was held on the kayak. Upon her arrival at the shore, she thanked her guardian angel, “a thousand times”. Jordan Charles ignores the identity of this woman and he has not heard from his state of health following events.
What emotions did it experience before entering the water? He admits: his gesture was led by instinct.
“I was not afraid to be honest. Little things scare me in life. I took out my survival instincts and tried to do everything in my best, without putting my own life in danger, ”he admits.
And after?
“I admit it: I had a smile on your lips. It’s better than no one drowns, but it happens. It is in particular for this reason that emergency services exist, beautiful trades! ”
Carpenter or firefighter?
Jordan is doomed to a brilliant future, both in professional and sporting matters. The 18-year-old young man wishes to become a carpenter-menuer or firefighter. This last profession, as an presentation above, is a family vocation. In any case, he wants to change lives.
“It is a vocation that interests me and having saved a life pushes me to think more about it. These are not things that we like in the heat of the action. But afterwards, it’s valuing. We make a big difference. “
— Jordan Charles
He also illustrated on the ice. Jordan Charles played a few games last fall with the Indigo de Granby, in the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League, before later joining the Granby Vics training at AA level. He plans to come to the next Indigo camp with a goal in mind.
“We are starting this Sunday with Reunion, later in August with physical tests. This is the goal, that of doing the team and ending the year there. I am able to carve out a place. In any case, I will give my 110 %, ”he concludes.
