The mother of a man hospitalized in a Selkirk, Man., machete attack Friday night says she could have lost her son if a Good Samaritan hadn’t stepped in to save his life.
When RCMP officers arrived at the scene, outside a Main Street bar, they found two injured men — the original victim, who had been stabbed with a machete, and Broderick Tkachyk, a witness to the altercation who stepped in to help.
Tkachyk told Global Winnipeg he was hit in the ear with the machete during the incident, but managed to help the victim with his injuries before paramedics arrived.
Margaret Barkman-Harris, the mother of the victim, said she’s grateful for the help of a stranger.
“I could be planning a funeral instead of watching him get better,” she said.
“I’m just thankful all the people were around him and helping him. I feel bad that (Tkachyk) got hurt in the process of helping someone, which was just not fair.”
Tkachyk, who has been living in a tent in Selkirk as a result of drug addiction and legal issues, said he wants to use the incident as motivation to turn his own life around.
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“I just don’t want to be part of that old lifestyle anymore. I don’t want to be the problem; I want to be the solution,” he said.
“I was raised to do upon others what you’d want done upon yourself. I’d want someone to help me, that’s the big thing about it.”
That help might be coming sooner rather than later. Barkman-Harris said she’s planning on taking Tkachyk out for lunch Wednesday to thank him for his selflessness and intends to help him find a job to get his life back on track.
Police said two Selkirk men were quickly arrested in connection with the attack.
A 23-year-old is in custody facing two counts of aggravated assault, while the other suspect, 28, has been charged with two counts of possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose and has a pending court date.
RCMP continue to investigate.
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