14,000 volts through his body: 'I was sure I was dead'

On December 7th a young lineman near death was electrocuted while working on a transformer in Beauport.

Simon Morissette, a 32-year-old father from Saguenay who works for Valard Construction, a Hydro-Québec subcontractor, was working on adding extra protection against breakdowns to a transformer on Turcot Street in the Beauport department. Sunny afternoon.

Suddenly, 14,000 volts of electricity entered through his left arm and exited through his left leg, which was leaning against the device he was working on.

“My whole body felt stiff and then I saw that my hand had turned black. I have never felt worse pain. I lost consciousness and was sure I was going to die,” she says.

After being rushed by ambulance, he spent a month in the burn unit of the University of Quebec Hospital before being discharged last Thursday.

The work accident left her with third-degree burns on her left arm, but according to doctors she should regain full sensation. However, the 30-year-old lost three toes on his left foot and the remaining two had to be amputated.

“Let's just say our holiday season is over,” explains Simon Morissette with his partner Felina Fortin. We didn't want our son's first Christmas to be this way, but it could have been worse.

“So Far”

In recent weeks, the young woman has made several trips between Saguenay and Quebec to be at the bedside of someone she loves. Returning from maternity leave, she had to put her career on hold to juggle a baby, a dog, a house and a hospital when misfortune struck.

“The hardest thing was that it happened so far from home. I didn't know anything when it happened, I was scared. I felt so far away. Fortunately, I was able to go see him the next day, which reassured me. When he was in Quebec, I also had to think about Jericho. [leur fils, NDLR], on his first Christmas. I don't want him to do that.”

Photo Agent QMI, Roger Gagnon

On December 24, the Enfant-Jésus Hospital allowed the entire Morissette family to meet in a room reserved for them. “It just goes to show that Christmas wasn't all wasted,” notes the man close to death.

The couple wanted to highlight the teams' “exceptional work” at the CHU de Québec.

“We can never thank them enough. My left arm was as loose as spaghetti and I was sure I was going to lose it, but they saved it. They have done miracles so I can maintain my quality of life,” Mr. Morissette continues.

Critical reflection

The 32-year-old lineman has been working in the “dangerous” job for more than eight years. According to the Interprovincial Federation of Electrical Employees, the median annual salary for a full-time first-class lineman is $80,833. Despite the obvious advantages of his work, this important incident forces the young father to think seriously about his future.

“It is hard and dangerous work. […] Often, we go far away from home and this story made me realize that it's important to stay close because I want to enjoy time with my family,” says the man, who was away four days a week before his injury.

Now back home, Simon Morissette will undergo lengthy treatments to regain his strength. He also has to undergo a rehabilitation program to learn to walk with a prosthesis that replaces his toes.