'It happened pretty quickly': duo recounts Disraeli Bridge rescue

Two men are humbly recounting their involvement in saving a young man in serious distress.

Vlad Lebedev and Sergii Kovianzin were heading home from work on Tuesday afternoon when they came across an emergency situation. They happened upon a crisis situation with emergency crews holding onto a man dangling from the Disraeli Bridge at Higgins Avenue, 35 feet in the air.

"It can be terrifying and really sad for the guy, and we were just glad we could help," Lebedev says. "We just pulled out the truck and got the 'ok' to help.

Kovianzin has been on the job for two years with SRS Signs & Services Inc. Lebedev is a new employee, only on the job for three months. The pair sprang into action after learning they could help.

"It happened pretty quickly," Lebedev says. "It took about 10-15 minutes altogether."

Lebedev and Kovianzin on the scene on Tuesday afternoon. (Winnipeg Police Service/Supplied)

The pair drove their truck with its boom and bucket, carefully angling it under the man's feet. Slowly, the team raised the bucket and the man was lifted back to safety.

"It is not an everyday thing, that's for sure."

Lebedev says he does not know how the man is doing but hopes he is ok, saying "at the end of the day, (it is) a good feeling, you know, just helping someone out in the city."

When the pair returned to work, they told their boss, Shane Storie, about the rescue.

"I was thinking good on them. They just reacted and did it. I mean, the world is a tough place and we try to make it a little bit easier every day on people by just our actions and our thoughts, and I was very proud that he just reacted," Storie says.

Shane Storie is SRS's founder and president.

On Friday morning, the entire company is going out to a team breakfast to celebrate the duo, something Lebedev is excited about. 

Storie says their entire team was excited to hear about Lebedev and Kovianzin's rescue. He says while they are celebrating the rescue, he and his team are talking about the seriousness of the situation.

"We also want to understand that there was a young man in distress and that as we celebrate (Lebedev and Kovianzi), we hope he gets the help that he is needing."