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The strike that saved two lives

Steven Kennedy and Jacob Pawlawski pose for a picture with their rescuers. (L-R)Rick Neil, Pam Neil, Pawlawski, Kennedy, Evan Brousseau and Mike Williamson. Photo by Larry Kennedy, Special to BayToday.ca.

Steven Kennedy and Jacob Pawlawski pose for a picture with their rescuers. (L-R)Rick Neil, Pam Neil, Pawlawski, Kennedy, Evan Brousseau and Mike Williamson. Photo by Larry Kennedy, Special to BayToday.ca.

Stephen Kennedy and Jacob Pawlawski are pretty happy that Evan Brousseau was on strike a year ago.

Brousseau, a North Bay bricklayer, wasn’t working due to a labour stoppage, and went out boating on Lake Nipissing with friends Mike Williamson and Rick and Pam Neil.

While out on the water Brousseau spotted Kennedy and Pawlawski clinging to their canoe.

With Pam Neil driving the boat Williamson, legally blind, jumped into the water to bring Kennedy and Pawlawski to safety.

Rick Neil played his part, pulling Kennedy back up after he had slipped into the water unconscious.

Saving our lives
They were taken to hospital, Kennedy suffering from severe hypothermia.

The two Torontonians recovered sufficiently enough, though, to meet Williamson under more relaxed circumstances before they left, insisting he accept a $100 reward and a cherry wood box containing a binoculars-shaped flask inscribed ‘Thanks for saving our lives.’

Glad they were there
Kennedy and Pawlawski were in North Bay recently to meet with their rescuers a year to the day after the rescue.

It was the first time, Kennedy said, he’d actually met Brousseau and the Neils.

“I had blacked out so I don’t even remember having seen them,” Kennedy said, during a telephone interview from his Toronto home.

“But I’m glad they were there, otherwise neither of us would have been alive today.”

Good time
Kennedy and Pawlawski, accompanied by Steven’s father Larry and Jacob’s mother Sally and her life partner, went out to dinner with the rescue party and then went over to the Neils’ home.

“We had a really good time and enjoyed catching up on things, and showing our appreciation to them for saving our lives,” Pawlawski said.

Getting pretty rough
The incident began when Pawlawski and Kennedy, who were staying at a rented cottage on Waltonian Drive, on the Lake Nipissing south shore decided to canoe out to Rankin Island.

They had set out on a then-placid lake without, they admit, lifejackets, the first of several “unfortunate” decisions, Kennedy said at the time.

Around the same time Williamson and friends were heading toward Goose Island from the Lavase River, where Brousseau docks his 17-foot Silverline boat.

“We saw the canoers, and the lake was getting pretty rough then,” said Williamson, who can only see shapes and shadows.

Brousseau said he thought the two were either “very experienced or didn’t know anything,” so he decided the group “should keep our eye on them and stay in the same area.”

Pretty much tipped
Kennedy and Brousseau reached the island several hours later, rested for 15 minutes, and decided to head back to shore.

The water got even rougher halfway back to the cottage, Pawlawski said.

“Unfortunately we decided to keep going rather than turning back, just thought we’d go all the way and try to fight the waves, but we were wrong,” Pawlawski said.

“Our judgment was pretty bad, and a huge wave came out of nowhere, hit us sideways and we pretty much tipped.”

Out of hope
The pair had clung to the canoe for four hours, and was almost out of hope.

Pawlawski flung a paddle into the air in exasperation, which Brousseau spotted, triggering the resuce.

His accomplishment
Williamson subsequently won a life-saving award from the Ontario Provincial Police, and had been nominated for a Carnegie Hero award and a Governor-General’s award.

The Carnegie Hero Foundation decided against giving Williamson the award.

“That doesn’t at all reflect on his accomplishment,” said Carnegie spokesman Jeffrey Dooley.

“We receive 800 nominations a year for this award, but only give out 100 of them.”

Done the same thing
There’s been no decision yet on the Governor-General’s award, said spokeswoman Patricia Gerrard.

Williamson, who was “very happy” to see Kennedy and Pawlawski again, said while honoured to have be nominated, he’s not upset about the Carnegie.

“Anybody in my position would have done the same thing,” Williamson said.

“The real award was in seeing those ending up safe and sound.”

Down to earth
Larry Kennedy said it was "helpful and therapeutic" for Steven and Jacob to come to North Bay again.

"I know it was necessary for me to be able to thank them personally for their actions," Kennedy said.

"You read stories every weekend during the summer about kids drowning or be killed in car accidents, but it's always somebody else's kids. This really brings you back down to earth, but thank God they were saved, with no bad effects."