Video: Cookstown’s ‘good samaritan’ Rebecca is worthy ‘Person to be Proud of’

Cookstown has its very own ‘good samaritan’ in local lady Rebecca Wilson, who has been named the Mid-Ulster Mail and Tyrone Times ‘Person to be Proud of’.
By Sheena McStravick
Published 30th Oct 2014, 11:30 BST
Rebecca Wilson who has been voted by the public as the Person To Be Proud Of, in the civic award organised by the Mid Ulster Mail and Tyrone TimesRebecca Wilson who has been voted by the public as the Person To Be Proud Of, in the civic award organised by the Mid Ulster Mail and Tyrone Times
Rebecca Wilson who has been voted by the public as the Person To Be Proud Of, in the civic award organised by the Mid Ulster Mail and Tyrone Times

Rebecca was nominated by this paper for her brave and kind gesture as she attended a young man who had been knocked over by a car and effectively left for dead in a hit and run accident.

The 24-year-old received the most votes from the public and awarded with the ‘Person to be Proud of’ accolade in association with Firmus Energy.

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Speaking to the MAIL, on receiving her award, Rebecca said she ‘couldn’t believe it’ when she got the news she had won an award, she didn’t even know she was nominated for!

Rebecca Wilson who has been voted by the public as the Person To Be Proud Of, in the civic award organised by the Mid Ulster Mail and Tyrone TimesRebecca Wilson who has been voted by the public as the Person To Be Proud Of, in the civic award organised by the Mid Ulster Mail and Tyrone Times
Rebecca Wilson who has been voted by the public as the Person To Be Proud Of, in the civic award organised by the Mid Ulster Mail and Tyrone Times

“I’m so shocked, I had no notion that I was even nominated or picked or anything so when I got the message on Friday when I was at work, I couldn’t believe it, so I am delighted.”

Looking back on the night in question, when Rebecca stopped her car after noticing a young man lying on the side of the road, Rebecca said it was just instinct to stop and make sure he was alright.

“It was about quarter past or half past two and I was coming back from work in the Railway, I was leaving another girl home, and only for leaving her home I wouldn’t have been going past the Glenavon.

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“There was very heavy rain on that night, and I noticed a man lying on the side of the street, and on first glance I thought he might have been drunk and had fallen so I got out of the car, I thought I can’t leave him lying there in the rain and cold.

“Walking towards him I then realised this man has been knocked over, his shirt was up and there were scrapes on his body, blood, his arm was twisted in a funny position and there was blood coming from his head.”

Rebecca bravely waited with the young man and kept him comfortable until the emergency services arrived. The victim spent three days in intensive care and was told by doctors he was ‘lucky to be alive’.

Trained in first aid, Rebecca told the MAIL even if she hadn’t of known first aid, she just wouldn’t have left him lying there, “If it happened again, I would help again. If that was your brother or somebody in your family you would like to think somebody would help them too,” she added.

Related topics:Glenavon