Roger Bryanton and his wife Cindy Scott's lives changed in an instant eight years ago while vacationing in Eastern Canada.
The couple struck a moose and the crash left Bryanton a quadriplegic. For the avid outdoorsman, life had changed forever.
"Basically in a blink of an eye. No clue it was on the highway until the impact," said Bryanton.
"One of the things we loved doing most was hiking in the Gatineau Hills. It's one of the better kept secrets in the Ottawa area, especially the King Mountain Trail."
It was a trek Bryanton never expected to make again, until his wife thought just maybe he could with some help. It was a birthday present he would never forget.
"When I stopped at the First Avenue Fire Department and threw the problem out to them, they were very quick to come up with a solution," said Scott.
Greg Liuzzo and Scott Miller we're among seven Ottawa firefighters who jumped at the chance to help the perfect stranger.
"We go to a lot of awful things that we have to see and it's kind of nice to see a bit of a happy part to a story," said Miller.
Using a special chair, the off-duty firefighters carried Bryanton up the rocky terrain. At the top was a view Bryanton never thought he'd see again.
The firefighters say they would repeat the act of kindness for anybody. For Bryanton and Scott, it was a birthday they'll never forget.
"It was great. What an amazing bunch of guys. My wife refers to firefighters as the last noble profession out there. They may not be the last, but they are certainly amongst the best," said Bryanton.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Catherine Lathem
