By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
In a remarkable show of courage and quick thinking, eight-year-old William Tinker from Sherbrooke is being hailed as a local hero after his timely actions helped save his father’s life. On Monday evening, William’s father, Stephen Tinker, fell unconscious due to a medical condition that he hadn’t experienced in nearly a decade.
Stephen shared the details during a Wednesday interview: “It’s something that happened to me nine years ago when I’m too stressed,” he explained. This sudden episode left him incapacitated, but young William didn’t panic. With impressive composure for his age, William immediately dialed 911, a skill his father credits to a lesson practiced in school. “He knows his address because he worked on that in school,” Stephen proudly stated.
William gave clear instructions to the emergency services, allowing first responders to arrive quickly. “The police came over, and then the ambulance came over,” Stephen recounted. Stephen Tinker regained consciousness in the ambulance and was transported to hospital for further treatment.
But William’s ordeal didn’t end there. Left alone at home, the eight-year-old remained calm as Sherbrooke Police officers stayed by his side. “The police stayed and they played hockey downstairs with William until my father came to pick him up,” Stephen said. The officers even donned William’s Sherbrooke Phoenix hockey jerseys, bringing comfort and familiarity to the young boy during a difficult time.
Though the medical emergency was a frightening experience, Stephen Tinker and his family are grateful for the support of the Sherbrooke Police officers and, above all, for William’s heroic response in a moment of crisis.
