Adam Sawatsky

British Columbia

Anchor and Reporter at CIVI-TV (Victoria, BC)

‘Sawatsky Sign-Off’ on CTV News Vancouver Island & CTV News Vancouver

Articles

B.C. man overcomes adversity to realize dream of painting professionally

1 week ago | ctvnews.ca | Adam Sawatsky

VANCOUVER — Sam Siegel never would have imagined how transformational art could be when he began drawing as a boy. “There was nothing more exciting than having a blank page,” Sam says. “And filling it up with doodles at school.”But Sam struggled to focus on anything else, fell behind in school, and was eventually diagnosed with ADHD. “My worry was, what’s he going to do when he grows up?” Sam’s dad Bob Siegel recalls.
‘It’s moo-verlous’: B.C. woman rescues injured squirrel in cow-inspired car

1 week ago | ctvnews.ca | Adam Sawatsky

SOOKE, B.C. — The first thing you may notice in Emily Rose’s dashcam video are the horns attached the hood of her bright orange car. “It’s all about the smiles per miles,” Emily laughs from behind the wheel. But if you look closer at the footage, you’ll see a squirrel in the middle of the road being struck by another car. “I didn’t know if it was quite alive or dead,” Emily recalls. So Emily turned her car around and drove back to where the squirrel was hit and found it on the side of the road.
B.C. man’s unexpected discovery inspires Olympic connection in Japan

1 week ago | ctvnews.ca | Adam Sawatsky

John Watt was searching online for classic cars, when he happened upon the sale of some unexpected sports memorabilia. “It was wow!” John says. “It was shock!”It was vintage Olympic uniforms and international accolades. “And I go, ‘What the heck? It’s Gary Beacom’s!‘” John says.
Retired B.C. emergency medical worker now saves old discarded film

2 weeks ago | ctvnews.ca | Adam Sawatsky

Before he grew up taking photos on film, Jim Sollows was a teenager struggling to fit in. “I was your typical science geek,” Jim says, adding that his high school was predominantly sporty. Young Jim felt lonely until a supportive teacher suggested he try photography, which proved empowering. “People that had shunned me for not being on a team were going, ‘Wow!‘” Jim recalls.
Love story behind B.C. soldier’s inspiring recovery celebrated on stage

2 weeks ago | ctvnews.ca | Adam Sawatsky

Debbie and Trevor Greene will never forget that night they first met at a bar, when he noticed her sweater had fallen off her chair and made his move. “I went over and picked it up and put it on,” Trevor smiles. “And said, ‘Where did you get my sweater?‘”“[Trevor] is tall,” Debbie laughs, recalling the sight of him squeezed into her small cardigan.
B.C. man stages surprise marriage proposal during navy deployment in Japan

2 weeks ago | ctvnews.ca | Adam Sawatsky

This is the story of how a navy ship departed with something meaningful on board, but arrived months later with that item unexpectedly on shore. A story that begins, Shaelynn Ross says, after meeting Scott Coulson in high school. “I asked if he wanted to go with me to prom and he said, ‘No!‘” Ross recalls with a laugh. “It stung, and I have not let him forget it ever since.”Ross is joking. It was fine, she says.
‘I’m grateful I went blind’: B.C. skateboarder loses sight, inspires others

3 weeks ago | ctvnews.ca | Adam Sawatsky

ALDERGROVE, B.C. — When Brett Devloo was 16, his focus was skateboarding, until he suddenly and permanently went blind. “I lost my vision like that,” Brett snaps his fingers. “[I was] sitting in the middle of history class.”Brett was diagnosed with a rare DNA mutation that blocks 98 per cent of his vision. “It’s like having a sun right in the middle of your sight,” Brett explains holding a fist in front of his eyes. “If you [look] left, it goes left. If you go right, it goes right.
B.C. doctor becomes bagpiping busker

1 month ago | ctvnews.ca | Adam Sawatsky

VICTORIA – Ken Wilson was just a wee lad, growing up in a Scottish village, when he fell under the spell of the bagpipes. “I don’t know what the magical wavelength is,” Ken says. “But there’s something about it.”Appreciating that magic is one thing, learning how to make it is another. “Well, there are two words for that,” Ken says. “Peer pressure.”When Ken was 11, his best friend couldn’t have been keener to play the pipes. “I was a little less enthusiastic,” Ken says.
B.C. man builds community by sweeping sidewalk for a decade

1 month ago | ctvnews.ca | Adam Sawatsky

VANCOUVER — Although he doesn’t remember the first day he started sweeping the sidewalk, Theron Phillips does know he’s done it almost every day since. “I usually do it once a day,” Theron says. “If the weather permits.”Almost every day, for more than a decade. “If you have the health to do it,” Theron says, “why not?”More than 3,500 days, cleaning up countless thousands of things.
8-year-old publishes books after dictating stories to dad

1 month ago | ctvnews.ca | Adam Sawatsky

Milo Morris was in the midst of doing something, perhaps it was wrestling with his stuffed animals, when he overheard his mom complaining about the book she was reading. “I thought that I would go write a better book for her,” the eight-year-old smiled. Although he had never written a book before, Milo, fuelled by empathy, wrote one for her. “It’s fanfiction about Winnie the Pooh and Piglet,” Milo said.