Jaron Rosso Wiigs, from Alberta, has earned the nickname “Shovel Superman from Canada” after he volunteered to help clean up after a recent flood in Guangfu, Taiwan.
Wiigs, who is on vacation in Taiwan, used some of his days to shovel mud after Typhoon Ragasa destroyed parts of the island, including the eastern township of Guangfu, helping the residents clean up. Upon learning that a powerful typhoon had caused massive damage in Guangfu, with mud and debris flooding the streets, he decided to help. Instead of sightseeing, he used 10 of his 21 vacation days to help clean up in Hualien County. “It’s not that big of a sacrifice,” he said. “I think this moment will always be remembered in Taiwan’s history.”
Jaron Rosso Wiigs says he felt the need to give back after surviving an 18-meter fall off Bow Falls in Banff about a year and a half ago. “I think I got lucky, so I feel I should pay the universe back,” he said. The 24-year-old recovered from serious injuries and now believes in spreading love and kindness wherever he goes.
When he arrived in Guangfu, Taiwan, on October 1, he saw piles of dirt, damaged buildings, and cars destroyed by the typhoon. Thousands of volunteers were already helping, so he joined in and started digging alongside locals, making new friends along the way. On his sixth day of volunteering in Taiwan, a popular local blogger interviewed him, and the video quickly went viral on social media. Standing hip-deep in a muddy manhole and wearing a mud-covered tank top, he introduced himself as a Canadian scientist who had been in Taiwan for eight days and had been volunteering for six. Smiling at the camera, he sent love to his parents and thanked his employer, the Montrose Environmental Group.
Within days, millions had watched the video, and he became known as the “Shovel Superman from Canada.” He plans to spend the rest of his trip relaxing and exploring Taiwan’s nature, saying the people, food, and culture have been an amazing surprise and that he’ll definitely return someday.
Source: Nono Shen, CBC
