A woman from Winnipeg shared her experience of rescuing a child and the child’s father from the Red River, expressing relief that everyone involved is safe several days after the incident. Jayclyn Morrissette, 32, was at St. John’s Park in Winnipeg’s North End on the evening of August 24 when she spotted a young girl struggling in the river. Acting promptly, Morrissette went down to the water while her neighbor alerted the child’s parents who were desperately searching for their daughter.
Upon reaching the water’s edge, Morrissette witnessed the father jumping in to save the child but struggling to resurface. Without hesitation, she emptied her pockets and dove in to assist. With the help of her neighbor, they managed to pull the man out of the water. Morrissette then swam back to rescue the unconscious child, swimming backward towards the riverbank with the toddler on her chest.
After successfully retrieving the child, Morrissette performed CPR, a skill she had acquired over a decade ago, until emergency responders arrived. The child was rushed to the hospital in critical condition but later stabilized, with expectations of a full recovery. Despite the positive outcome, Morrissette admitted to experiencing nightmares in the aftermath of the incident, haunted by the image of the child in distress.
Morrissette also disclosed sustaining injuries to her neck and shoulder once the adrenaline wore off, necessitating painkillers and potential further medical evaluation. Winnipeg police commended Morrissette’s bravery and selflessness in their news release, highlighting her exceptional courage in risking her own safety to save strangers in need.
Downplaying her heroic actions, Morrissette humbly stated, “I’m just a mom,” insisting that anyone in her position would have acted similarly. She emphasized the importance of vigilance, urging parents to watch their children closely at all times as accidents can happen in a split second.
