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Heroic act by Nelson's 'Woody' Wudkevich recognized by Chinese Community Association of Ottawa

Bruce Fuhr
By Bruce Fuhr
September 11th, 2014

Robert “Woody” Wudkevich doesn’t consider himself a hero.

But on a winter vacation earlier this year at a resort in Varadero, Cuba, Wudkevich went over and above the call of duty, saving a young boy from drowning during family holiday.

Wudkevich, who could not be in Ottawa during the presentation, finally received his recognition, a plague from members from the Chinese Community Association of Ottawa — president Shaoyong Liu and vice president Jinsheng Xue — accepted on behalf of the Nelson business owner by NDP Southern Interior MP Alex Atamanenko and NDP MP Paul Dewar (Ottawa Centre).

“(This honour) is bittersweet,” Wudkevich said recently.

“I don’t consider myself as a hero by any stretch of the imagination. I was just doing something anyone else would do.”

Wudkevich was catching a bit of shut-eye on the beach when a stranger awakened him noticing a family in trouble in the water.

Yue Liu, 40, of Ottawa, was playing in shallow waters with his son Connor on the final day of their vacation when a swift undertow swept them both into deeper water.

Lui’s wife said her husband tried his best to bring their son back to shore.

That’s when Wudkevich sprung into action. Without a flotation device, Wudkevich swam 200 meters out to sea to help.

The owner/operator of Kootenay Glass in Nelson was able to bring Connor to shore, but when the 52-year-old went back into the water, he saw that Liu had been carried further out into deeper water.

According to witnesses, Liu had been holding his son’s head above water before the boy was taken to safety.

When lifeguards arrived on the scene, and eventually pulled Liu out of the water, efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.

“I just happened to be in the right place as the right time, although it was maybe 30 seconds too late to save both,” Wudkevich said, who still keeps in touch with the family.

“I’m grateful I was able to save Connor and appreciate the award very much.”

Wudkevich said Liu’s widow Fanyan Bu still is grieving the loss of her husband.

A fundraiser, organized by the Chinese-Canadian community helped pay funeral expenses and support the family, raised more than $100,000.

Wudkevich said he thinks about that day in Cuba almost every night.

“Woody’s a true hero for the Chinese community and all Canadians,” said Jinsheng Xue.

“He could have lost his own life. People like him are special.”

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