When two robbers broke into a Dominican Republic apartment complex, the owner, Les Lehmann had only one instinct. His goal was to save a group of Manitoba students staying there and get the robbers out.
Now, the family is hoping others will come to his rescue and help pay to bring Les home for treatment.
Looking through emails that update her father-in-law's condition, Eugenia Lehmann said still can't believe what happened. She says Les Lehmann is lucky to be alive.
When he arrived at a hospital in the Dominican, Lehmann still had nine bullets in his body, along with other physical trauma.
Les Lehmann owns a Villa in the Dominican Republic. That's where 26 students, parents, and teachers from Manitoba stayed after arriving in the country for a humanitarian trip, and where robbers targeted the first night of their stay.
They shot Lehmann several times. Les had surgery to remove the bullets and repair his shattered bones, and lost nearly four litres of blood.
His daughter-in-law says she doesn't know what would have happened if Lehmann didn't do what he did. "These men were carrying weapons, they were carrying zip-ties, and they were shooting at him," she said.
"We don't know if they would have shot at anyone else, and that speaks volumes to who he is and what sacrifice he was willing to make in order to make sure somebody else's children was ok."
Lehmann says the school board and the other families involved have been supportive. The family is hoping to bring Les home for further surgeries and recovery.
That trip could cost up to $25,000 and without any insurance, it's money his loved ones don't have. If you wish to help, you can make donations at donatetoles.com.
