This week's Insight episode To the Rescue looks at what drives us to want to save others — and whether we should we always dive in. Watch on
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To The Rescue
episode • Insight • Current Affairs • 52m
episode • Insight • Current Affairs • 52m
One minute, I was heading north across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on my way to work. The next, I was pulling a man from a fiery car crash who had just cut me off.
I’ll never forget that day in March 2022.
Moments before the accident, a man in an SUV was flying, almost hitting me as he crossed three lanes of traffic before crashing head-on into a white van and flipping over.
I was inside the car with the windows up but I could feel concussion from the impact.
I believe there's a duty of care we all need to live by, so I didn’t hesitate to pull my ute over to block three lanes and stop the traffic.
One of the vehicles involved in the crash on the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 2022. Source: AAP / Steven Saphore
On approach I found a man already at the window on the driver's side, pulling someone out. I went around to the passenger side to see if someone else was in there.
I had to push in the smashed glass and move the curtain airbags, so I could see inside the vehicle.
There was a strong smell of fuel and the engine was smouldering.
I believe there's a duty of care we all need to live by.Keni Vukici
When I realised there was no one else in the car, I returned to the driver's side with another man to help the driver out of the vehicle.
It was so crazy, the driver was putting up a fight before passing out, waking up, taking swings at us and then passing out again.
With a background in security, I suspected he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
We managed to get him on the floor, by which point the flames grew until half the car was on fire. We tried to move the man a safe distance from the scene.
A car that caught fire is removed from the scene of a multi-vehicle crash on the Sydney Harbour Bridge in March 2022. Source: AAP / Steven Saphore
"I think you need to get out of the car," I told her, so I helped her out too.
I then filmed a video of the scene on the Harbour Bridge with its fire, smoke and traffic piled up for hundreds of metres, thinking it would be useful.
I gave the video to the police and decided to get on my way to work.
As I walked to my ute my knees felt sore, and I remembered that I'd done an overly vigorous power slide before ending up on my knees in glass.
On my way to work, I picked out the shards.
A crisis 'is good for me'
I’m good in a crisis; I find serenity in it.
I have heavy anxiety on a day-to-day basis, but in a crisis I'm forced to think in the here and now, and my mind stops wandering.
So it's good for me in a way.
I've also got a subconscious need for relevance.
What I didn’t know that day was the man I'd helped drag to safety was high on drugs and had stolen the car. He's now in prison.
But that wouldn't have changed my actions. In my mind, a life is a life, and we should make any effort to save one — then we should let the justice system take its course.
Keni Vukici believes every effort should be made to safe a life, no matter who the person is. Source: SBS
In this driver's case, this event could end up being a turning point in his life, where he may decide to pursue a different path.
This accident may be a big lesson for him that leads him to realise he's meant to do so much more with his life.
If people start looking at even the smallest situations as a duty, it could make the world of difference.
And for more stories head to hosted by Kumi Taguchi. From sex and relationships to health, wealth, and grief Insightful offers deeper dives into the lives and first person stories of former guests from the acclaimed TV show, Insight.
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22/02/202401:00
