Local Couple Saves a Stranger in Need
Story by Michael Seguin
Photography Courtesy of Todd Heslop and @OnLocation
You might remember the incident. On March 5th, 2023, a significant mechanical issue caused a vehicle to strike a building on Lesperance Road near Riverside Drive. The truck quickly erupted into flames that threatened to consume the driver. However, the driver was able to escape the resulting explosion thanks to the intervention of a local couple who happened to be passing by.
The driver was one Tommy Heslop and this is his story:
Don and Amber Rodzik are a charming couple. Two lifelong Windsorites, they’ve been married for twenty-four years and have raised three sons: Cameron, Christopher, and Hudson.
The two were driving home from dinner with their two younger boys on the night in question. Everything was proceeding as normal when Hudson spotted the flames.
“He asked if someone was having a bonfire,” Don recalls. “We thought maybe a tree had caught on fire. So I started to slow down as we approached the intersection.”
“Then we saw the accident,” Amber explains. “A truck was engulfed in six-foot-high flames. It was like something out of a movie.”
They found Tommy’s truck embedded into the brick wall. Don immediately pulled over to investigate the crash. And it wasn’t long before they heard a voice through the rising fires.
“Tommy was screaming for help,” Don states. “We told our sons to stay back while me and my wife wandered into the flames.”
Tommy was sprawled out next to his vehicle with his legs broken. All the while, the fires continued to climb higher around them. As well, the wreckage was emitting a piercing creaking sound and the windows had shattered from the heat.
“I told Don that we had to move him,” Amber explains. “We were afraid that something in the car was going to explode.”
And despite the obvious risk to themselves, Don and Amber waded into the smoke and the flames. They grabbed Tommy between them, hoisted him up and out of the blazing asphalt, and carried him to safety. And as it happens, their fears were not unfounded. The truck did explode after that—the three of them just narrowly escaping.
Things seemed to speed up after that. Christopher—Don and Amber’s middle son—called the police and emergency services quickly arrived. Meanwhile, Tommy was trembling all over and in shock. They fetched him a blanket from their car and Amber cradled him until the paramedics took him away.
“I just kept asking him questions,” Amber states. “I didn’t want him to go to sleep. He told me his name. That he went to Tecumseh Vista Academy—the same school as my youngest son. Christopher then recognized Tommy’s last name because he played hockey with his older brother, Trevor. Through that, we were able to contact his family.”
Before long, the paramedics attended to Tommy. They placed him in a stretcher and raced him to Windsor Regional Hospital’s Ouellette Campus where he would need serious medical attention.
Meanwhile, Todd Heslop—Tommy’s father—was driving home from Chatham with his older son after a hockey game. And while still on the road, he was contacted by Amber who told him everything.
“She was able to go into some detail about what happened,” Todd explains. “She didn’t want to scare us, but she told us that Tommy had experienced a serious injury. We reached the scene shortly thereafter and it was horrific. We spoke to some of the police and the paramedics, but we still didn’t know much. We didn’t even know if he was still alive.”
Todd takes a moment to compose himself.
“It was our worst nightmare,” Todd states. “As a parent, you never want something like that to happen to your child.”
And the extent of Tommy’s injuries were truly horrific. In addition to a broken leg, collarbone, ankle, pelvis, he was also suffering from a collapsed lung, ruptured bowels, and a fractured vertebrae—among others.
“He was shattered from the neck down,” Todd explains. “He was in the OR for thirteen-and-a-half hours. But our doctors were absolutely amazing, though. I can’t say enough good things about the quality of care he received.”
Even after that first day, Tommy required multiple other surgeries in the coming weeks. However, Todd continues to stress how much courage his son demonstrated in the face of such overwhelming pain.
“He never complained,” Todd states. “He never felt sorry for himself. He was very positive throughout the whole thing. He just wanted to endure the procedures and get out of there. If that was me on the bed I would have been crying like a little girl!”
Fortunately, Tommy had some very specific motivation to recover.
“Mainly, I just wanted to get out of the hospital so I could see my dog again,” Tommy explains. “He’s a Mini Goldendoodle named Speedy. And he’s almost eighteen, so I just wanted to be able to go home and play with him as much as possible!”
But despite Tommy’s resolve, he did receive a pair of visitors that helped bolster his spirits.
“We all cried when we saw him,” Amber admits. “And an experience like that leaves a lasting impact on both families. We still exchange Christmas cards every year. We have this connection with Tommy’s family now. And we know it will be lifelong.”
When asked what compelled them to react so quickly during such a fraught moment, Amber struggles to put such an experience into words.
“You don’t know how you’re going to respond until it happens,” Amber admits. “It was being at the right place, at the right time. It was also pure instinct. Don and I both jumped out of the car without a second thought. And we’d do it again in a heartbeat. If it were one of my boys in such a situation, I’d hope others would do the same thing.”
Don and Amber were both distinguished with the OPP Commissioner’s Citation for Bravery for their services.
And now, Tommy has made significant strides in his recovery, though he still faces some challenges as a result of the severity of his injuries. However, his future looks promising! He’s currently enrolled in the Border Services program at St. Clair College and is working at Taco Bell. He’s even well enough to take up golf—a pastime he enjoys with his friends.
And besides Tommy’s own tenacity and the talented medical staff, all this was possible thanks to Don and Amber—two concerned citizens who risked their own lives to save a stranger.
“I’m beyond grateful to Don and Amber,” Todd states. “They saved my son’s life—without a doubt. They’re amazing people. I was able to find video footage of the accident after the fact. And eleven cars passed by while the car was burning. Thankfully, Don and Amber were the twelfth car. If just one person reads this story and is inspired to pull over and help a stranger in need, then I’m happy.”
Published in the September 2025 Edition.
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