Stranded drivers 'happy that someone cared,’ says man who helped them keep hydrated

Stranded drivers 'happy that someone cared,’ says man who helped them keep hydrated

Rick Bursey and Roseanne Martin gave out more than 80 bottles to people stuck in vehicles

Rick Bursey says he’d give the shirt off his back to help someone in need. It’s the reason why he stepped up to aid those stranded in traffic after a fatal crash occurred over the weekend on the Trans-Canada Highway near Hillview, N.L.

On Saturday the North West Brook resident, alongside his partner Roseanne Martin, loaded up their quad with cases of water and drove to the highway, giving out more than 80 bottles to passengers sitting in the hot, humid weather.

“They were really appreciative, really happy that someone cared,” Bursey told CBC News.

Bursey said vehicles were lined up through the community due to the accident and he and Martin stopped at every one to make sure people had water.

To help everyone, Bursey and Martin made three trips to and from the scene to restock on water so drivers were hydrated. He even called on friends to bring extra cases.

“We wanted to let them know that someone was looking out for them,” said Martin.

Kindness rides a quad as locals deliver water to stranded drivers during highway closure

The pair said they live only about two minutes away from the highway intersection, so making multiple trips wasn’t a worry. They even brought people back to their home who needed to use the washroom.

Bursey and Martin both said that the people they met, while appreciative, were surprised by the gestures.

“They were just like, there is some humanity left in the world,” said Bursey.

A ‘special’ experience for drivers

Bursey and Martin weren’t the only residents who stepped up to help those in traffic that day, as multiple people on quads and side-by-sides dropped off refreshments to drivers.

For someone who was stuck in traffic that day, Leon House said that it was “really cool” to experience these random acts of kindness.

House said he couldn’t believe people were taking time out of their day to make sure drivers and their passengers were OK.

“They just wanted to make sure that we had a bottle of water,” House told CBC Radio’s On the Go.

According to House, one man walked from a few towns over to give out Mr. Freeze’s, which he thought was “special.”

“You could be in your home, probably with your mini-split on, or enjoying your air conditioning…but instead you decided to walk up here and share Mr. Freeze’s with us; he was delighted,” said House.

House later posted about the experience on social media, which went viral. House said he wanted to let the people who helped know their efforts were appreciated.

“It was really heartwarming… it deserved to be talked about,” said House.

Bursey and Martin were both mentioned in the post and said they never expected to get the kind of attention they have received since helping out that day.

For them, they say they were just being themselves; doing their part alongside their community to help others.

Bursey said he’d do it again in a second.

“It’s sad that we had to do that because of someone being in an accident but you still do what you can.”

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Cameron Kilfoy (he/him) is a journalist working with CBC News based in St. John's.