Ron Mark – Hero

Congratulations should go out to Ron Mark, for his actions of the 17th of May.

Herman van Krieken wrote to Prime Minister Helen Clark and to NZ First leader Winston Peters to praise Mr Mark, Mr Mark’s partner Chris Tracey and another woman who helped him as he lay bleeding on the road.

On May 17 Mr van Krieken, an IT and business consultant, was driving his Triumph Tiger 955cc into Wellington when he was struck by a trailer going through the Terrace Tunnel.

“While tumbling through the air I wondered where I would end up, will I hit a car and is this end?” Mr van Krieken wrote.

“I remember curling up into a ball to minimise damages and I finally came to rest on the road and within three seconds three people are onto me.”

Mr Mark told him to lay still and firmly gripped his thigh telling him he was losing a lot of blood.

“It feels like he is poking his thumb into my main artery.”

He lost four pints of blood on the road and Mr van Krieken told NZPA from his hospital bed that he was “absolutely staggered that he (Mr Mark) was sitting there on his knees on the road with his tie on and having his finger up my main artery.

…

Mr van Krieken, originally from Holland who has lived in New Zealand for 18 years, recognised Mr Mark. He said he would not have made it without Mr Mark and the two women’s help.

“It makes me proud to be part of a society of people that care about each other, we are called Kiwis.”

Mr van Krieken emphasised all three helpers should get credit.

“Without them I wouldn’t be here either.”

I can think of at least one MP who would consider catching the plane more important than the life and/or safety of an ordinary New Zealander.

Congratulations to Ron Mark for doing the right thing.