My PTSD made me worried I would freeze in an emergency. Then my neighbour had a heart attack – CBC

Luckily my instinct and training kicked in, and the result was a happy ending

Jul 09, 2025

Sitting on my back patio, I can see a man every morning settle into his backyard chair, sipping tea beneath the elegance of a rising sun. Steam rises from his cup like an early morning stretch. His quietude shows contentment for the moment, and I can’t help but smile.

My neighbours, Rod and his lovely wife, Colleen, sit and enjoy their cuppa, woven in the other’s company. It’s a view most artists would fail to capture. But life — bless it — has granted me the quiet privilege of watching this real-life watercolour come to life daily.

Matthew Heneghan was born in the U.K. and immigrated to Canada when he was five. He served in the Canadian Armed Forces as a medic for six years. Upon his honourable release, he became a civilian paramedic and worked in that role until 2017. After nearly 15 years, he was diagnosed with PTSD and was forced to recalculate his career trajectory. Though he took a step back from front-line work, he began a journey in writing.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/first-person-ptsd-paramedic-1.7567455