‘He just gave so much time’
Remembering a P.E.I. man who put his life on the line to help others
From rescuing a family caught in a rip current to calmly diffusing tense situations, Alvin (Lee) Sudsbury’s extraordinary actions pulled people from the brink.
“Before he joined the RCMP, aged 20, my dad served as a lifeguard on the beaches of P.E.I.,” remembered Rae Sudsbury.
“On one of his shifts, he noticed a mother and daughter caught in a hazardous rip current and without any hesitation, he went out onto a surfboard and pulled them safely to shore where they were able to recover.”
Sudsbury’s passion for protecting others was born from an early age.
He watched his parents open their Kensington, P.E.I., home to children, family and friends that needed stability. There was never any judgment as the family stepped up to lend a helping hand.
“Dad helped our aunt when she needed a place to stay so that she could get on her feet and into work. Our aunt told us, ‘even though we were of similar age, he was like a father,’” said Rae Sudsbury.
Sudsbury joined the RCMP after taking the train from P.E.I. to Regina, Sask., in 1958. After graduation, he served in Newfoundland, where he met the love of his life, Patricia (Pat) Power. They married in 1963 and had two daughters. Their adventure continued with postings across Canada.
“Dad had a great sense of humour in any adverse situation. In Newfoundland, he and a colleague attended a miners strike in the backwoods. But these tough miners did not want the police there,” recalled his daughter Robin Porter.
“The miners surrounded the police cruiser, picked it up, and turned it 180 degrees. Father maintained his cool and decided to leave the tense and scary situation without any further incidents. He knew how to handle any situation with a level-head, compassion and understanding.”
Sudsbury became a driving instructor at RCMP Depot, developing many courses at the Canadian Police College, which was his last posting before retirement.
“One spring, two policemen from Kenya visited the college. They were amazed by the National Hockey League playoff games, so dad found skates and sticks for them and took them to a local rink. They were all over the place on the ice, but so excited, as he helped instruct them,” said Porter.
She added her dad was always present, interested and ready to celebrate peoples’ achievements — no matter how small.
“Dad was always the coach who picked up all the kids in the neighbourhood, whose parents didn’t want to come to a game. He coached hockey, ringette and softball. And he was an assistant coach for the Saskatchewan ringette team. He just gave so much time to us as kids.
“He never said no,” Porter said while acknowledging her father had a “cheeky sense of humour” and a smile that could light up any room.
“Our parents curled wherever we went ... we were always involved in the community and a very close-knit family,” added Sudsbury.
“Our mother had cancer for over 20 years and dad cared for her until her last breath. He was so dedicated to her, but he always helped people.”
Sudsbury acknowledged her father gave tremendous support during her own breast cancer treatments.
“He visited me every single day. He never shied away from my chemotherapy or radiation treatments for five years. If there is one thing I learned from dad, it was no matter how bad things got, you moved forward. And, there was never a problem too big to deal with,” she said.
After the death of his best friend and wife of 43 years, his girls pushed for one last move so they could all be closer together, and Sudsbury relocated to Carleton Place, Ont. He became a season ticket holder for the Carleton Place Canadians, where he watched the hockey games every week through the winters with his daughter Rae.
He died on May 29 at Carleton Place Terrace, age 83.
“We were so lucky to have him as our father,” said Rae Sudsbury.