Tim Jones was the difference between life and death for many people. He became a hero to those he rescued, and a calming influence for anxious families waiting to be reunited with their loved ones.
Following his death yesterday evening, the praise for Jones regarding his compassion and courage have been pouring in.
Almost 20 years ago Jones as a paramedic and first man in on a rescue on Mount Seymour administered morphine to ease the pain of a survivor. If the team had not found him, he most likely wouldn’t have made it through the night. That save was one among 1,000 saves Jones and his team did over his decorated career.
“He had 1,500 rescues… and that’s just with North Shore Rescue,” said his friend and critical and infant care supervisor Ross Hallaway. “As a paramedic in Vancouver working for 30 years he did a lot of good for us as well.”
One of Jones’ most celebrated rescues also on Mount Seymour was back in the winter of 1992 when snowshoer Brian Jackman survived 17 days in the woods. Following his rescue the thankful survivor praised the North Shore Rescue team for not giving up on him.
The gratitude from grateful survivors have been abundant for Jones over the years. Jian Boa was part of a group of hikers that were lost and badly injured but had the fortune of Jones and his NSR team locating the group and getting them out.
“From deep in my heart, I will always remember Tim forever for saving my life,” an emotional Boa told Global News.
In other cases like snowboarder Sebastien Boucher, who was so moved after spending three days lost in freezing temperatures on Cypress Mountain, and was rescued by Jones and his team, decided to donate $10,000 to NSR.
For Doug Fraser, who is with the Chilliwack search and rescue crew, the first time he met Jones, he was rescuing Fraser.
Fraser was part of a Chilliwack search and rescue operation that was searching for a lost hiker when he and his team member got stranded on a ledge and had to be rescued. Jones and his North Shore team, all working as volunteers, took them out on the long line.
“It’s going to take time for the province and the SAR community to recover from this loss,” Fraser said.
Some are already asking who is going to fill Jones’ shoes on NSR.
“He is a legacy… I don’t think a boot that big will ever be filled,” Hallaway said.
~ with files from Brian Coxford
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