Courageous Action: SEIU Nurse Saves a Life at Local Tim Hortons
Shelburne, ON – July 18, 2025
At our New Era Assembly in May, we unveiled our new values, one of which being Courageous Action. And that’s exactly what Headwaters RPN Heather Swayze showed during a recent visit to her local Tim Hortons.
While waiting for a friend, Heather heard a loud thud near the counter. She turned to find a man on the floor, seizing. Without hesitation, she jumped into action.
Heather checked for a pulse and breathing, gently rolled the man into the recovery position, and took extra care not to worsen any potential spinal injury. When she saw a pool of blood forming under his head from a laceration, she called for help. No one came.
“I had a tank top under my shirt, so I took off my overshirt and used it to apply pressure,” she said.
While on the phone with 911, she continued to comfort the man, checked his pockets for ID, and stayed by his side until paramedics arrived.
What makes a person act so quickly, even outside the workplace?
“Empathy and compassion are deeply rooted in nursing. You’re taught to care for people in their most vulnerable moments, and that doesn’t shut off when you leave the hospital.”
Though many are calling her a hero, she resists the spotlight.
“It’s just who I am. This wasn’t extraordinary – it was necessary.”
Heather hopes this story reminds people that healthcare workers are often selfless, even in moments of fear or uncertainty.
“It’s scary. You don’t know the situation, and you could freeze. But we jump in anyway. That kind of care is what keeps me going.”
She hasn’t seen the man since but thinks about him often and hopes for the best.
To other nurses and healthcare workers, she offers this:
“Keep showing up. Do what you’re meant to do. And never forget that your care makes a difference – wherever you are.”
SEIU Nurses. We show up.