A transport truck driver from Quebec is stranded at the Dryden Regional Health Centre with very little time to make his way to a specialist appointment in Montreal, or else his foot will be amputated. Gilles Rheault is asking for the community’s help.
Rheault says that he had surgery on his ankle two months ago, and he was given the okay to return to work as a transport trucker driver for Ajit Transport. He was sent on a trip from Montreal, to Calgary, to Winnipeg. During the first night, the heat in his truck broke down, but was quickly repaired.
Rheault says on the third night he was in the Cochrane area, and the heat broke down again. He says he contacted the dispatcher at Ajit Transport, who told Rheault to use the heat in the sleeping area of the truck, and to keep driving. Rheault asked for a hotel, but was denied.
Rheault says he attempted to get the heat fixed again in Kapuskasing, before it broke down again in -28 weather. Again, Rheault was denied a hotel stay and was told to keep driving, and warm up using the sleeping area heat in the back of the transport.
“I started feeling a burning in my heels,” said Rheault. “From Calgary to Winnipeg, I started to have problems. I was dizzy. I was very tired. My usual one hour power naps turned into 13 hours. I knew something was wrong.”
After reloading his transport in Winnipeg, he was on his way back to Montreal. By the time he made it to the Dryden area, he was unable to move parts of his body or get out of the vehicle. He was picked up by emergency responders, after speaking with his wife.
“They took about one quarter of my foot on the back of my heel, and yesterday they took off the rest of the heel. Now I’m stuck. Doctors told me that if I get to a specialist in Montreal in 72 hours... they could save my foot. The Dryden hospital can’t do the operation.”
Rheault says Ajit won’t pay his airfare fee to go back to Montreal and he’s reached out to members of the federal and provincial governments, but he hasn’t heard back. He adds that when Ajit learned of the situation, they sent staff to pick up Rheault’s stranded vehicle, but didn’t reach out to him.
Medical transport to Montreal could be over $2,000. Rheault says he has contacted his lawyers and a labour board over the situation.
“I’ve got a ticker in the back of my head, counting down the hours to get to Montreal before I lose my foot. I don’t understand why the government won’t help ... I’m a Canadian. I was born here. I pay my taxes. But nobody will take care of the charges. It’s awful.”
Rheault is asking for the community’s support or help with his situation. He’s asking those who may be able to help to reach out to 1-438-494-1994, or gillesr1965@hotmail.com.
“When I get back to Montreal, my boss will soon be my ex-boss.”
Rheault says that he had surgery on his ankle two months ago, and he was given the okay to return to work as a transport trucker driver for Ajit Transport. He was sent on a trip from Montreal, to Calgary, to Winnipeg. During the first night, the heat in his truck broke down, but was quickly repaired.
Rheault says on the third night he was in the Cochrane area, and the heat broke down again. He says he contacted the dispatcher at Ajit Transport, who told Rheault to use the heat in the sleeping area of the truck, and to keep driving. Rheault asked for a hotel, but was denied.
Rheault says he attempted to get the heat fixed again in Kapuskasing, before it broke down again in -28 weather. Again, Rheault was denied a hotel stay and was told to keep driving, and warm up using the sleeping area heat in the back of the transport.
“I started feeling a burning in my heels,” said Rheault. “From Calgary to Winnipeg, I started to have problems. I was dizzy. I was very tired. My usual one hour power naps turned into 13 hours. I knew something was wrong.”
After reloading his transport in Winnipeg, he was on his way back to Montreal. By the time he made it to the Dryden area, he was unable to move parts of his body or get out of the vehicle. He was picked up by emergency responders, after speaking with his wife.
“They took about one quarter of my foot on the back of my heel, and yesterday they took off the rest of the heel. Now I’m stuck. Doctors told me that if I get to a specialist in Montreal in 72 hours... they could save my foot. The Dryden hospital can’t do the operation.”
Rheault says Ajit won’t pay his airfare fee to go back to Montreal and he’s reached out to members of the federal and provincial governments, but he hasn’t heard back. He adds that when Ajit learned of the situation, they sent staff to pick up Rheault’s stranded vehicle, but didn’t reach out to him.
Medical transport to Montreal could be over $2,000. Rheault says he has contacted his lawyers and a labour board over the situation.
“I’ve got a ticker in the back of my head, counting down the hours to get to Montreal before I lose my foot. I don’t understand why the government won’t help ... I’m a Canadian. I was born here. I pay my taxes. But nobody will take care of the charges. It’s awful.”
Rheault is asking for the community’s support or help with his situation. He’s asking those who may be able to help to reach out to 1-438-494-1994, or gillesr1965@hotmail.com.
“When I get back to Montreal, my boss will soon be my ex-boss.”
