Kitchener, Ont., woman looking for stranger who helped family say one last goodbye to her stepdad

CPR may not have saved Ron Snook’s life — but it did give his family the priceless gift of a proper goodbye.

“It would have been such a different story if I would have got that phone call at 1:09 [a.m.] saying that he was gone,” said Renée Poirier, his stepdaughter.

“That person who took that time to give him that chance gave us the chance, gave our kids the chance to be able to say goodbye to grandpa.”

Late New Year’s Eve night, Ron Snook suddenly collapsed along King Street in Kitchener.

The 65-year-old resident had been battling chronic kidney disease for a long time. He had survived a number of close calls in the past, but this medical episode was different. Potassium had built up in his body and stopped his heart, leading to kidney failure.

Snook’s family said that would have been the end if a Good Samaritan hadn’t stepped in to give him CPR.

WATCH | Kitchener, Ont., woman looks to thank Good Samaritan who gave stepdad CPR:

Kitchener, Ont., woman looks to thank Good Samaritan who gave stepdad CPR

A Kitchener, Ont., family wants to find a Good Samaritan who gave their loved one CPR, which allowed them say goodbye. Ron Snook, 65, collapsed on New Year’s Eve on King Street because of complications from kidney disease. Paramedics told his family CPR from the unknown person got Snook’s heart beating again and helped him live a few hours longer. It allowed paramedics to take him to hospital, where his family said their goodbyes. Renée Poirier, the man’s stepdaughter, spoke to CBC K-W’s Aastha Shetty about the value of CPR and what saying goodbye meant to the family.

The family said that stranger’s act of kindness gave Snook a few extra hours of life, allowing paramedics to take him to hospital, provide more medical support and buy just a little more time. That time allowed Snook’s family to surround him with warmth and love one last time, before his heart gave out again three days later and he died, just short of his birthday next Tuesday.

Poirier said their family is now on a mission to find the Good Samaritan who gave her stepfather CPR.

‘We got to say goodbye’

The search began with a Facebook post in a community group page. Victoria Lee, another one of Snook’s stepdaughters, shared his story.

“Because of you, because you chose to act in a moment when many might freeze, our family was given an unimaginable gift, TIME,” Lee wrote in her post, directly addressing the Good Samaritan.

“In the midst of one of the hardest moments of our lives, your kindness and humanity gave us something we will hold onto forever. There are no words that fully express our gratitude, but we would be so grateful for the chance to thank you personally.”

Poirier said her sister’s message on social media hasn’t yet helped them find the Good Samaritan, but they are hopeful.

“I wanna squeeze them, and hug them and let them know how grateful our whole family is that we got to say goodbye, and it means the world to every single one of us.”

She said the incident highlights the importance of learning CPR.

“To be able to know how to do CPR could ultimately change somebody’s life,” Poirier said.

“His life could have been gone that very minute with him alone … but he was able to be with his family because that person was able to do CPR and get his heart going again, even if it was for a short time.”

Poirier said her stepfather was well known and loved in the Bridgeport area, where he was often seen performing random acts of kindness, like shovelling snow off of his neighbour’s sidewalks or raking the leaves on their front yard.

Importance of learning CPR

Lou Taddeo is regional manager for St. John Ambulance Ontario, an organization that provides a number of first-aid courses, including CPR training.

He said that as a medical first responder who has performed CPR many times in emergency situations, he had mixed feelings when he heard Snook’s story.

“We want to give everyone the best possible outcome to have a successful recovery — not that it’s always going to be guaranteed,” Taddeo said.

“It’s a happy story, but also unfortunately, it’s a sad story because you’re just wondering how many people don’t have that opportunity to say goodbye.”

He said stories like this emphasize the importance of learning how to perform CPR.

“You never know when you’re gonna be able to utilize these skills, be it a colleague, someone at work or family member or loved one, neighbour, a friend,” he said.

“The best way to be prepared is to train.”