In Calgary, Canada, a group of Sikh men saved the lives of two teenagers who fell through the ice and into the cold waters of a frozen pond. How did the men do this? They unraveled their traditional turbans and used them to hoist the teens out of the freezing water. Global News reports that the girls fell through the icy-cold pond in northeast Calgary on the morning of October 30, a Friday. Fortunately, the girls were rescued by some quick-thinking men who were nearby, and the entire scene was captured on video by a neighbor named Kulbinder Bangar, who shared the footage online.
Bangar told the news outlet that her daughter called her out onto the porch because she saw two girls fall through the ice and they were calling for help. A group of neighbors rushed to the girls’ rescue, and the footage shows how the men attempted to use siding from their nearby renovation project to try to reach one of the girls. When they realized that this plan wasn’t working, the men started unraveling their turbans and tying them together to create a long rope. They also used a garden hose to help pull the teenagers to safety. Someone on Twitter noted that one of the reasons Sikhs wear a turban explains a lot.
One of the reasons Sikhs wear a Dastaar (turban) is because it represents a beacon.
In times of need, find someone wearing a Dastaar and they will help you.
This story embodies this spirit in the most Canadian way.
I am so thankful these two women found their way to safety. https://t.co/7xMDZfMIIa
— Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) November 2, 2020
The Canadian New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh says that one of the reasons Sikh men wear a turban is because it represents a beacon, so in times of need if you find someone wearing a Dastaar (turban), you can count on them to help you. He added that this story embodies that very spirit in the “most Canadian way.” The witness, Bangar, said that the girls screams were terrifying and sounded like “a deathly scream.” She added, “In their Sikh faith it’s a big thing to take your turban off but they didn’t think for one moment. It was quite a terrifying experience, but at the same time it was a wonderful experience to see these elderly citizens [who] went out of their way to help these young ladies.”
Wonderful message.
— Paul Gosse (@PaulGosse5) November 3, 2020
Thanks to these kind gentlemen, the girls’ time in the water was greatly shortened, and that saved their lives. A representative from Calgary Emergency Services reported that other than being cold and some mild hypothermia, the girls are recovering well. Watch the video footage below.
