John St. Jean: Good Samaritan Stands Up To Stranger To Help Boy, Ends Up On Life Support
John St. Jean only intended to do a good deed to help a young boy. Now, unfortunately, he’s fighting for his life as a result of his courageous actions.
According to CBC News, the incident occurred around 9:15 p.m. on the evening of Thursday, April 2. St. Jean reportedly told his wife, Dawn McKay, he was heading out to the local convenience store approximately one block away from their home in Grand Prairie, Alberta.
“I said ‘What are you talking about, it’s 9:15 at night. Come on, sit down, I’m going to kick your butt at Yahtzee and that’s all there is to it,” Dawn said.
Despite her protests about him leaving, he was adamant about going because he was reportedly meeting a man to pick up a surprise he’d purchased for his wife. Unfortunately, the short trip to the convenience store took a devastating turn when St. Jean reportedly stepped in to help a young boy being bullied by an older man. According to the Huffington Post, St. Jean was waiting on the guy with his wife’s surprise when he noticed the man and the boy involved in a heated argument.
He allegedly intervened on the boy’s behalf in an effort to diffuse the altercation. It has been reported that St. Jean told the young boy to leave and asked the man to go home as well. Unfortunately, the man wasn’t interested in taking orders from a stranger. So, an argument erupted between the man and St. Jean.
According to the Toronto Sun, the two men began fighting and St. Jean was thrown to the ground. The man allegedly began stomping on St. Jean’s head. He sustained numerous injuries including facial damage with a broken nose, a damaged eye socket, and extreme head trauma. St. Jean was rushed to a local Edmonton hospital but has been transferred to the University of Alberta Hospital. The injuries have left St. Jean in critical condition fighting for his life.
John St. Jean on life support after beating in Grande Prairie parking lot http://t.co/sAaTJF7Cx6 pic.twitter.com/4guW7xHa6r
— CBC Canadian News (@CBCCanada) April 4, 2015
The entire fight was reportedly caught on surveillance and local authorities were able to identify the suspect. Kyle Douglas Giroux, 24, has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault and failure to comply with a probation order. More charges could be added if St. Jean does not recover. Fortunately, his wife has revealed that he is still fighting for his life.
“[Jean’s] strong, he’ll make it. I know that he’ll be okay. I know it.”
Giroux is scheduled to make his first appearance in court on Wed. Apr. 8.
[Image(s) via Facebook]
