A Mississauga man who’s been hailed as a “true hero” for helping hurt and stranded motorists – including Quinte and Northumberland residents – in last month’s fiery 17-vehicle pileup on Hwy. 401 near Trenton was honoured at Parliament Hill in Ottawa Monday by Bay of Quinte MP Chris Malette.
“Last month, during a whiteout and a burning 17-vehicle pileup on Hwy. 401 near Trenton, Isik ran toward danger,” said Malette, adding he was honoured to meet Isik and recognize him for his “heroic actions” through a certificate ceremony and then pay tribute to civilian rescuer in the House of Commons Monday. (Isik has declined to share his last/family name publicly.)
From helping stranded motorists to safety, to helping a woman whose Dodge Durango was engulfed in flames before emergency crews arrived and carrying injured passengers out of harm’s way – and even helping to shovel others out after the wreckage – Malette described Isik as “a true hero” while reflecting on Isik’s selflessness that shone through the wreckage back on the highway on Jan. 27, 2026.
Malette – like so many others touched by the stories of Isik’s courage and bravery that day – told MBC his team had been trying to get in touch with Isik for a while to find a way to honour him and last week managed to learn he was coming to Ottawa for an appointment.
“He was (originally) invited by the Turkish Embassy, and so he had an opportunity to meet with the ambassador yesterday morning, which I’m sure was quite an honour for him,” said Malette, in a Tuesday interview.
Afterwards, he came by Parliament Hill and Malette’s team got him signed in on a guest pass, and Malette gave him a tour, presented him with a certificate of thanks and introduced Isik to fellow MPs and ministers.
“It was the first time I had met this gentleman … you hear the stories of a reluctant hero, and this guy is absolutely it,” Malette told MBC.
Malette also had a chance to recognize Isik and share some of his story through a special announcement in the House of Commons, which made for a touching moment.
Reflecting back on the pileup on Hwy. 401, Malette acknowledged just how dangerous this stretch of Hwy. 401 can be. And it’s rare to see someone like Isik in an instance like this – outside of first-responders who don’t get enough credit for tackling bad weather and/or crashes on the regular, noted Malette, who prior to politics also served decades in journalism.
“It was imperative that this man’s actions be applauded,” continued Malette. “In the face of danger, Isik placed the safety of others before his own, showing extraordinary courage and integrity.
“His selflessness reflects the very best of Canadian values.”
As previously reported, back on Jan. 27 – the day Isik’s kindness shined through the wreckage – Hwy. 401 was described as an absolute nightmare. From whiteout conditions, to transports and SUVs bursting into flames, there were a total of about 50 vehicles involved in collisions that day stretching from the area just outside Belleville into Brighton.
The worst of the crashes were in the Quinte West area, which included the 17-car pileup – and by some miracle, no one died or was seriously injured.
Among the people Isik was credited with helping was Trenton’s Theresa Rozendaal, whose Dodge Durango burst into flames that day.
“What he (Isik) did was selfless and beyond the scope of what anyone would expect, and I am very grateful. I am only alive because he pulled me away from the fire,” Rozendaal previously told MBC.
Well-known Northumberland realtor Jacqueline Pennington was also on the highway during the pileup heading to Belleville to take her son to a doctor’s appointment and ended up getting rear-ended, she previously told MBC.
She, too, witnessed Isik’s courage that day.
After helping Rozendaal and handing her off to Pennington at one point, she then watched as he ran back-and-forth checking on people in their cars – even back towards the flames to help other drivers as transports were engulfed and despite motorists hearing what sounded like explosions, she shared.
Pennington, as well as Quinte West Fire and Emergency Services Chief John Whelan – who also praised Isik publicly – previously both spoke of how Isik used his bare hands to smash out the back window of Rozendaal’s blazing Dodge Durango trying to get to her.
He put his life on the line to help a stranger and countless others, said Pennington. Looking back, she said she couldn’t believe everything he did, and she told him that.
“He was very humble and just said, ‘Oh, it’s just what anybody would do.”
It was the same man who despite having injured his hand trying to get to Rozendaal later helped dig out Pennington’s vehicle and made sure to comfort her son.
Meanwhile, there were other stories about Isik holding another scared woman’s hand, telling her: “You’re going to be OK, just stay in your vehicle, stay warm and stay safe …”
Initially, there were reports floating around online that Isik was a doctor, but it turned out he previously studied medicine at university before ultimately graduating with an engineering degree and had completed first-aid training is his home country of Turkey before moving to Canada nine years ago. It’s believed Isik now makes his living through a trucking firm.
Pennington, Rozendaal and Whalen were among many who previously expressed hopes that Isik could be recognized on a larger scale for his actions on Jan. 27, 2026.
It gives you hope when somebody from the public does a heroic act like this gentleman did, Whalen previously told MBC.
“We’ve got his name, and we’ll work with OPP and see if we can’t recognize him for his role,” said Whalen.
Even looking back on the wreckage days later, Whalen said he couldn’t believe there wasn’t a single fatality.
The series of crashes that day also prompted a flooding of firefighters, police and paramedics who worked through the day to keep people safe. More than 35 firefighters alone answered the call and spent 12 hours on the highway juggling fires and collisions in wretched conditions.
You can read our earlier coverage here.
(Written by: Sarah Hyatt)