OTTAWA, ONTARIO, Feb 21, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) –His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, GovernorGeneral of Canada, will present 3 Stars of Courage and 43 Medals ofBravery at a ceremony at Rideau Hall, on Friday, February 24, 2012,at 10:30 a.m.
The Decorations for Bravery were created in 1972, to recognize peoplewho risked their lives to try to save or protect the lives of others.The Cross of Valour (C.V.) recognizes acts of the most conspicuouscourage in circumstances of extreme peril; the Star of Courage (S.C.)recognizes acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of greatperil; and the Medal of Bravery (M.B.) recognizes acts of bravery inhazardous circumstances.
A media schedule for the presentation ceremony, a list of recipientsand their citations, and a fact sheet on the Decorations for Braveryare enclosed.
CEREMONY SCHEDULE Members of the media are asked to observe the following schedule: 9:45 a.m.: Media arrive at Rideau Hall 10:30 a.m.: Ceremony begins The Governor General speaks The Governor General presents the Decorations for Bravery 12 p.m.: Interviews with recipients ———————————————————————– – Constable David Edgar, S.C. Barrie, Ont. ———————————————————————— Constable Clayton Speers, S.C. Stayner, Ont. ———————————————————————— Kenneth Franklin Lehman, S.C. Espanola, Ont. ———————————————————————— ———————————————————————– – Paul George Akehurst, M.B. Ottawa, Ont. ———————————————————————— Constable Andrew Curtis Ashton, Morinville and Fort McMurray, Alta. M.B. ———————————————————————— Michel Berube, M.B. La Tuque, Que. ———————————————————————— Corporal Joseph Leandre Mickael Magog and Quebec, Que. Couture, M.B. ———————————————————————— Constable Scott Dargie, M.B. Oshawa, Ont. ———————————————————————— Steve Degrace, M.B. Beresford, N.B. ———————————————————————— Leading Seaman David J. S. Denman, Shearwater, N.S. M.B. ———————————————————————— Constable Karen Mary Desaulniers, Ottawa, Ont. M.B. ———————————————————————— Constable Patrick Duerden, M.B. Oakville and Milton, Ont. ———————————————————————— Chief Warrant Officer Anthony Eric Bonne-Esperance, Que. and Fequet, M.B., C.D. (Retired) Amherstview, Ont. ———————————————————————— Sergeant Lorraine Fequet, M.B., Ottawa and Amherstview, Ont. C.D. ———————————————————————— Constable Avery Curt Flanagan, M.B. Ottawa, Ont. ———————————————————————— Warrant Officer Marc Joseph Fortin, Notre-Dame-d’Hebertville and M.B., C.D. (Retired) Gatineau, Que. ———————————————————————— Monique Gagnon, M.B. Petit-Rocher, N.B. ———————————————————————— Kevin Gooding, M.B. Stoney Creek, Ont. ———————————————————————— Donald George Gough, M.B. Summerland, B.C. ———————————————————————— Jewel James, M.B. Kirkland Lake and Swastika, Ont. ———————————————————————— Bernard Keetash, M.B. Mishkeegogamang, Ont. ———————————————————————— Richard Kelly, M.B. (Posthumous) Oshawa, Ont. ———————————————————————— Lana Mae Krieser, M.B. Brandon, Man. ———————————————————————— Jonathan Yvan Leblond, M.B. Embrun, Ont. ———————————————————————— Constable George J. MacNeil, M.B. Kenora, Ont. ———————————————————————— William Edward Lance Matthews, M.B. Mansfield, Ont. ———————————————————————— Constable Kris Miclash, M.B. Kenora, Ont. ———————————————————————— Ross P. Moore, M.B. Dwight, Ont. ———————————————————————— Tina Maryann Moores, M.B. Grand Falls-Windsor, N.L. (Posthumous) ———————————————————————— Jeffrey W. Neekan Sr., M.B. Thunder Bay, Ont. ———————————————————————— Peter Nesbeth, M.B. Ottawa, Ont. ———————————————————————— Constable Allen George Percival, Ottawa, Ont. M.B. ———————————————————————— Sergeant John K. Potts, M.B. Hastings and Larder Lake, Ont. ———————————————————————— Lindsy Richardson, M.B. Ottawa, Ont. ———————————————————————— Madden Sarver, M.B. 100 Mile House, B.C. ———————————————————————— Major Ryan Denis Smid, M.B., C.D. Edmonton, Alta. ———————————————————————— Elaine Kathryne Spray, M.B. Lundar, Man. (Posthumous) ———————————————————————— Jakki Spray, M.B. Lundar, Man. ———————————————————————— Constable Michelle L. Stinson, M.B. La Ronge, Sask. and Kirkland Lake, Ont. ———————————————————————— Chance William Gene Stewart, M.B. Vancouver, B.C. ———————————————————————— Colleen Taylor, M.B. Ottawa, Ont. ———————————————————————— Frank William Taylor, M.B. Ladysmith, B.C. ———————————————————————— Kevin Thomas, M.B. Oshawa, Ont. ———————————————————————— Philbert Truong, M.B. (Posthumous) Victoria, B.C. ———————————————————————— Constable Christopher C. Wells, Wetaskiwin, Alta. M.B. ———————————————————————— Ian Joseph Wheeler, M.B., C.D. St. John’s, N.L. ———————————————————————— Constable David Edgar, S.C. Barrie, Ontario Constable Clayton Speers, S.C. Stayner, Ontario Star of Courage
On July 5, 2009, constables David Edgar and Clayton Speers, of theBarrie Police Service, risked their lives in the line of duty, inBarrie, Ontario. The constables were escorting a distressed male whenhe struck Constable Speers in the neck area with a knife. ConstableEdgar quickly stepped forward to help but the agitated man stabbedhim in the neck as well. Despite their wounds, the officers shot atthe assailant as he ran down the street towards a shopping area,waving his knife as he fled. Bleeding profusely from his wound,Constable Edgar followed the suspect who would not heed the commandsto drop his weapon. Fearing for the safety of the public, the officerwas forced to shoot, fatally wounding the assailant. Both officerswere later transported to a hospital where they were treated fortheir life-threatening injuries.
Kenneth Franklin Lehman, S.C. Espanola, Ontario Star of Courage
On March 22, 2009, Kenneth Lehman risked his life to rescue a man froman apartment fire, in Espanola, Ontario. Mr. Lehman was driving bythe building when he noticed the fire. He pushed in the back door,only to be met by intense heat and thick, black smoke. Crawling, hefelt his way around until he found an unconscious victim. Suddenly,an explosion went off in the apartment, forcing Mr. Lehman to quicklymove the man out into the hallway. He then pulled the fire alarm andopened the main door to let others in to help evacuate other tenants.Although the victim suffered severe burns, he survived, thanks to Mr.Lehman’s courageous efforts that day.
Paul George Akehurst, M.B Ottawa, Ontario Constable Karen Mary Desaulniers, M.B. Ottawa, Ontario Chief Warrant Officer Anthony Eric Fequet, M.B., C.D. (Retired) Bonne-Esperance, Quebec and Amherstview, Ontario Sergeant Lorraine Fequet, M.B., C.D. Ottawa and Amherstview, Ontario Constable Avery Curt Flanagan, M.B. Ottawa, Ontario Warrant Officer Marc Joseph Fortin, M.B., C.D. (Retired) Notre-Dame-d’Hebertville and Gatineau, Quebec Constable Allen George Percival, M.B. Ottawa, Ontario Major Ryan Denis Smid, M.B., C.D. Edmonton, Alberta Medal of Bravery
On October 12, 2007, a minivan swerved off the road and plunged intothe Rideau Canal, in Ottawa, Ontario. Witnesses to the accident,Lorraine and Tony Fequet jumped into the water to reach the driver,without any thought for their own safety. Through the partiallyopened window, Mrs. Fequet held the driver’s head up out of the waterjust as Messrs. Akehurst, Fortin and Smid jumped in the canal toassist. While Messrs. Fortin and Smid tried repeatedly to break thevehicle’s window, Mr. Akehurst reached in and unbuckled the man’sseat belt. Constables Desaulniers, Flanagan and Percival then arrivedon the scene, grabbed the seat cushion from their cruiser, and swamout to the van. They opened the door and, with help from the otherrescuers, brought the driver to shore using the cruiser seat as aflotation device. Sadly, the driver did not survive.
Constable Andrew Curtis Ashton, M.B. Morinville and Fort McMurray, Alberta Constable Christopher C. Wells, M.B. Wetaskiwin, Alberta Medal of Bravery
On December 25, 2007, RCMP Constable Andrew Ashton and ConstableChristopher Wells, of the Louis Bull Police Service, rescued a womanfrom a burning house, in Hobbema, Alberta. Responding to a distresscall concerning a suicidal woman, the police constables noticed smokeescaping through the soffits of her residence. Constable Ashtonkicked open the door and entered, but was forced out by a wall ofsmoke and intense heat. With the help of other police officers, theysmashed the windows on the main floor as flames rapidly engulfed theinterior. Constable Ashton again crawled through the front door andmade his way upstairs while Constable Wells climbed through one ofthe second-floor windows. They located the unconscious victim andpassed her through the window to the other officers waiting outside.The woman survived, in great part, thanks to the perseverancedisplayed by the constables that day.
Michel Berube, M.B. La Tuque, Quebec Medal of Bravery
On March 29, 2009, Michel Berube rescued his older brother whosesnowmobile had broken through the ice on the St-Maurice River, in theHaute-Mauricie region of Quebec. Mr. Berube and his brother had beenriding on separate machines when the older man travelled onto thinnerice and fell in. As he tried to save his brother, Mr. Berube, too,fell into the deep water. He managed to calm his frantic brotherenough so that he could push him up onto solid ice before pullinghimself out. He dragged his brother, who had become unresponsive, upthe river bank. Over the next few hours, Mr. Berube workedrelentlessly to keep his brother warm; he was able to bring him to acottage in the forest, where he called for help.
Corporal Joseph Leandre Mickael Couture, M.B. Magog and Quebec, Quebec Medal of Bravery
On September 13, 2009, Corporal Mickael Couture voluntarily risked hislife to rescue the injured driver of a burning vehicle, inAfghanistan. The military vehicle was carrying ammunition at the timeit was hit by an improvised explosive device. Once the dust from theexplosion had settled, four of the passengers escaped and ran forshelter. Corporal Couture, who had been in another vehicle, heardthat the driver was still inside the burning wreckage. Without athought for his own safety, he ran to the vehicle, dodging ammunitionas it fired off in all directions from within the truck. He quicklylocated the driver, pulled him out, and dragged him a safe distanceaway. Even after he realized that the driver had died from theordeal, Corporal Couture chose to stay with the body, shielding itbehind a wall, out of the path of flying projectiles.
Constable Scott Dargie, M.B. Oshawa, Ontario Richard Kelly, M.B. (Posthumous) Oshawa, Ontario Kevin Thomas, M.B. Oshawa, Ontario Medal of Bravery
On November 29, 2008, Richard Kelly, Constable Scott Dargie and KevinThomas risked their lives in an effort to restrain a violent man, inOshawa, Ontario. An armed intruder had entered Mr. Kelly’s house andattacked his wife and his two youngest sons. Mr. Kelly was stabbedseveral times as he tried to keep the man away from the other membersof the family in the house. Despite his wounds, Mr. Kelly managed tograb the knife away from the attacker and throw it into the basement.He then stumbled outside, where he fell to the ground. ConstableDargie then arrived at the scene and was confronted by the attacker,who came at him with a hammer. Constable Dargie drew his gun andordered the man to drop his weapon; but the deranged man ran insideanother house and threatened to strike its elderly occupant.Constable Dargie followed him and fired two shots, successfullydisabling the assailant. The constable then dragged the strugglingman outside, where, with the help of Mr. Thomas, he was restrained.Sadly, the ordeal cost the lives of Mr. Kelly, his wife and one oftheir sons.
The decoration awarded to the late Mr. Kelly will be received by hissons, Messrs. Brandon Kelly and Riley Kelly.
Steve Degrace, M.B. Beresford, New Brunswick Monique Gagnon, M.B. Petit-Rocher, New Brunswick Medal of Bravery
On September 18, 2009, Steve Degrace and Monique Gagnon rescued a manfrom a burning house, in St. Margarets, New Brunswick. The victim hadattempted to extinguish a fire which had started in the kitchen, butthe flames quickly spread to other rooms in the house. Upon noticingthe smoke, Mr. Degrace and Ms. Gagnon ran to the house. Mr. Degracetwice entered the house but could not find anyone. Then he and Ms.Gagnon entered a third time and found a man in the kitchen. Flameswere shooting out through the windows and thick, black smoke filledthe house. As they grabbed the agitated victim and pulled him towardthe exit, the man fell; with great difficulty, they were able to draghim outside. Sadly, the victim did not survive.
Lieutenant(N) Andre D. Bard, M.B. Esquimalt, British Columbia Leading Seaman David J. S. Denman, M.B. Shearwater, Nova Scotia Medal of Bravery
On September 23, 2009, while working as a dive team, Lieutenant AndreBard and Leading Seaman David Denman risked their lives to search forpossible live ammunition in a pond, in Stewiacke, Nova Scotia. Anunknown number of grenades had been thrown into a large pond. One ofthe explosives had malfunctioned and was in an extremely dangerousstate. Using a metal mine detector in the murky water, the dive teamsearched the bottom of the pond, where they found the unexplodedgrenade buried deep in the mud. The device was carried a safedistance away and detonated. Lieutenant Bard and Leading SeamanDenman continued their thorough search of the pond, finding andremoving other weapon fragments.
The decoration awarded to Lieutenant(N) Bard will be presented at alater date.
Constable Patrick Duerden, M.B. Oakville and Milton, Ontario Medal of Bravery
On August 8, 2006, Constable Patrick Duerden, of the Toronto PoliceService, entered a burning house in the city’s west end to rescue itselderly occupant. Upon arrival at the scene, Constable Duerden couldsee that the house was filled with smoke. He ran inside through theback door, but was quickly forced out by the intense smoke. Here-entered the dwelling and, despite the limited visibility, locatedthe victim who was unconscious in a hallway near where the fire wasblazing. Feeling his way towards the back door, Constable Duerdendragged the severely burned woman outside just as the fire departmentarrived. Sadly, the woman did not survive.
Kevin Gooding, M.B. Stoney Creek, Ontario Medal of Bravery
On November 21, 2008, Kevin Gooding placed himself at considerable riskto rescue a man from a burning vehicle, in Hamilton, Ontario. Mr.Gooding noticed an out-of control vehicle hit a guard rail and spinacross the highway. The impact caused the vehicle to burst intoflames. As flames poured out through the shattered back window, Mr.Gooding ran to the vehicle where he frantically pulled and kicked atthe damaged front passenger door. Thick, black smoke filled theinside as the flames spread behind the driver’s seat, setting thevictim’s hair and coat on fire. Mr. Gooding succeeded in opening thedoor and unbuckling the victim’s seatbelt. After dragging the man outof the vehicle, Mr. Gooding put out the flames on the victim and thenhelped him walk a safe distance away.
Donald George Gough, M.B. Summerland, British Columbia Medal of Bravery
On May 23, 2007, Donald Gough rescued an elderly man from a possibledrowning in the Similkameen River, in Manning Park, British Columbia.The victim had lost control of his vehicle, which landed upside downin the middle of the river. The car suddenly flipped upright andbecame lodged on some rocks, allowing the victim to crawl out of hisbroken window and lean on the edge of the car door. Mr. Gough arrivedand quickly took charge of the situation by directing other witnessesto different sections of the riverbank to keep the victim in sight.He drove back to his nearby office and returned with four lengths offire hose tied together. Tying one end around his waist, Mr. Goughproceeded into the freezing water and, with great difficulty in thestrong current, made his way to the barely conscious victim. Mr.Gough tied the hose around the victim’s chest, and called out to theothers on shore to pull them in. In the end, Mr. Gough let go of thehose and allowed himself and the victim to be carried downstream,where they made it to shore. The hypothermic victim survived theordeal.
Jewel James, M.B. Kirkland Lake and Swastika, Ontario Sergeant John K. Potts, M.B. Hastings and Larder Lake, Ontario Constable Michelle L. Stinson, M.B. La Ronge, Saskatchewan and Kirkland Lake, Ontario Medal of Bravery
On October 23, 2008, Jewel James, Sergeant John Potts and ConstableMichelle Stinson of the Ontario Provincial Police entered a burninghouse to rescue an elderly couple, in Larder Lake, Ontario. SergeantPotts and Constable Stinson, who were not on duty, were driving bywhen they noticed smoke escaping from the eaves of a house. They ranup to the house just as Ms. James arrived to assist. They made theirway into the kitchen, where they found a woman who was unaware of thefire. Constable Stinson and Ms. James escorted the woman outsidewhile Sergeant Potts located a man sleeping in one of the bedrooms.Sergeant Potts brought the man outside, through flames that had nowspread through the main entrance. He re-entered the house one lasttime to check for other residents, while Constable Stinson and Ms.James stood guard at the door to keep the frantic couple fromre-entering the house. Within a minute of Sergeant Potts’ exiting,the house was completely engulfed.
Bernard Keetash, M.B. Mishkeegogamang, Ontario Mark Montour, M.B. Mishkeegogamang, Ontario Jeffrey W. Neekan Sr., M.B. Thunder Bay, Ontario Medal of Bravery
On January 26, 2008, Bernard Keetash, Mark Montour and Jeffrey Neekanrescued a 13-year-old boy from a burning house, in Mishkeegogamang,Ontario. When a fire broke out in their home, the occupants were ableto evacuate all but one of their children to safety. In despair, theparents cried out to their neighbours that the boy was still inside.Messrs. Keetash, Montour and Neekan wrapped wet blankets aroundthemselves and made their way upstairs, despite the intense heat.After locating the boy, Mr. Keetash picked him up and carried him outof the blaze. Although the victim suffered from burns and smokeinhalation, he survived, thanks to his three brave rescuers.
The decoration awarded to Mr. Montour will be presented at a laterdate.
Lana Mae Krieser, M.B. Brandon, Manitoba Medal of Bravery
On June 8, 2009, Lana Krieser rescued an 11-year-old boy who waselectrocuted during a school trip, in Clear Lake, Manitoba. Whilehiking on a trail, the boy and his friend noticed an orange glowcoming from a bush. After finding a dead deer, the boys werepreparing to leave when the victim slipped on the wet grass, fell tothe ground and came in contact with a live hydro wire. His friend ranto get Ms. Krieser, who rushed to the scene to find the boy inconvulsions and a small brush fire burning close by. Without anyconcern for her own safety, Ms. Krieser approached the boy and triedto move him, electrocuting herself in the process. She stepped backfor a moment, then grabbed onto the boy’s clothing and managed topull him several feet away until help arrived. Despite knowing therisks involved in moving the victim while he was still in contactwith the power line, Ms. Krieser’s actions saved the boy’slife.
Christian Leblond, M.B. Quebec, Quebec Jonathan Yvan Leblond, M.B. Embrun, Ontario Medal of Bravery
On July 22, 2008, brothers Jonathan and Christian Leblond risked theirlives to help care for their mother who had been shot by herex-boyfriend, in Ottawa, Ontario. Following a dispute that endedtheir relationship, the man returned to the house during the nightand shot the woman. Without regard for their own safety, Jonathan andChristian ran into the room to help their mother while theintoxicated attacker stood nearby with the gun still in his hand.Sixteen-year-old Jonathan kept his calm and ordered the assailant tocall 911 while he tried to stop the bleeding. During this time,13-year-old Christian ran to get their neighbour and then continuedto apply pressure to his mother’s wound. Jonathan and Christiandemonstrated exceptional bravery in coming to their mother’s aid, whosurvived the ordeal.
The decoration awarded to Mr. Christian Leblond will be presented ata later date.
Constable George J. MacNeil, M.B. Kenora, Ontario Constable Kris Miclash, M.B. Kenora, Ontario Medal of Bravery
On May 4, 2007, constables George MacNeil and Kris Miclash, of theTreaty Three Police, risked their lives to apprehend an armed man, inGrassy Narrows First Nation, Ontario. The officers had confronted aman who had been firing a .223-calibre pump-action rifle. ConstablesMacNeil and Miclash took cover behind their vehicle, while yelling atthe attacker to drop his weapon. Without any concern for thebystanders, the inebriated suspect kept approaching the officers andshot twice at them. During the intense confrontation, the officers,fearing for their lives and for the safety of onlookers, shot at theman, causing him to fall and drop his rifle. The constables thensecured the weapon and restrained the injured gunman until anambulance arrived.
William Edward Lance Matthews, M.B. Mansfield, Ontario Medal of Bravery
On March 16, 2009, Lance Matthews rescued an elderly woman from aburning house, in Mulmer Township, Ontario. When Mr. Matthews noticedsmoke coming from a neighbour’s house, he called 911 and drove to thescene. Upon arrival, he saw the raging fire and broke down the lockeddoor with a tool to gain access inside. Through the thick, blacksmoke, he found the unconscious woman halfway up the stairs. Hepicked up her up and carried the badly burned victim a safe distancefrom the house. He then tried to re-enter the house to rescue thewoman’s disabled husband, but was unable to do so because of theblaze. Sadly, neither victim survived.
Ross P. Moore, M.B. Dwight, Ontario Medal of Bravery
On March 15, 2007, Ross Moore rescued a man whose snowmobile had brokenthrough the thin ice of the Oxtongue River, in Dwight, Ontario. Fromhis home, Mr. Moore heard a cry for help and quickly made his way tothe river. A young man was clinging to the edge of the ice andfighting the strong current. Without any hesitation, Mr. Moorecrouched down onto the ice and approached the victim. He removed hissweatshirt and extended one of its sleeves to the man. The ice wascracking all around them as Mr. Moore pulled the man out. He walkedthe hypothermic victim back to his home until help arrived.
Brian Dean Fowlow, M.B. Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador Dennis William Robert Fowlow, M.B. Buchans, Newfoundland and Labrador Tina Maryann Moores, M.B. (Posthumous) Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland and Labrador Sharon Rose Sparkes, M.B. Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland and Labrador Medal of Bravery
On August 15, 2009, Brian Fowlow, Dennis Fowlow, Tina Moores and hersister, Sharon Sparkes, were instrumental in the rescue of a littlegirl from a possible drowning in an area known as Little Sandy, nearBuchans, Newfoundland and Labrador. The child had been playing with afriend in the water, when she slipped off a sandbank and fell intodeeper water. The older girl alerted Mrs. Moores, who immediately raninto the lake and swam out to the victim. Upon reaching her, Mrs.Moores held the girl’s head above water and struggled to stay afloat.Ms. Sparkes swam out to them, grabbed the girl and started to makeher way back against the strong current. At the same time, Dennis andBrian Fowlow swam out to help, reaching the pair just as othersarrived by boat and were able to pull the unconscious girl onboard tobegin CPR. The girl was finally revived, but sadly, Mrs. Mooresdisappeared beneath the surface of the water.
The decoration awarded to the late Mrs. Moores will be received byher husband, Mr. Dale Wilson Moores. The decorations awarded toMessrs. Brian Fowlow and Dennis Fowlow were presented at a previousceremony. The decoration awarded to Ms. Sparkes will be presented ata later date.
Peter Nesbeth, M.B. Ottawa, Ontario Lindsy Richardson, M.B. Ottawa, Ontario Medal of Bravery
On September 25, 2008, OC Transpo special constables Peter Nesbeth andLindsy Richardson pulled an elderly man from a burning vehicle, inOttawa, Ontario. The confused man had been driving his vehicle in abus lane by mistake, when he crashed against a tree, causing themotor to catch fire. When the constables arrived on the scene, Mr.Nesbeth tried unsuccessfully to gain entry through the passenger sidewhile Mr. Richardson pulled open the driver’s door. They managed topull the driver free just as flames reached the interior of thevehicle. The rescuers then dragged the victim to a safe location asthe fire was spreading into the surrounding trees.
Madden Sarver, M.B. 100 Mile House, British Columbia Medal of Bravery
On January 30, 2009, Madden Sarver rescued his severely injured brotherafter their helicopter had crashed in a remote mountainous area nearGrande Cache, Alberta. The brothers had run into bad weather andcould not maintain course. Mr. Sarver pulled his brother out of thewreckage and brought him a safe distance away. He then collected allthe survival gear and clothing to keep his brother warm. Mr. Sarverset up a makeshift shelter, gathered wood, and built a fire. He thentrekked several kilometres through deep snow to a logging road, wherea search helicopter, unable to reach the crash site, had landed.Seventeen hours after the crash, Mr. Sarver led paramedics to thevictim, who was then carried to the awaiting helicopter. Thanks toMr. Sarver’s determination, the victim survived.
Elaine Kathryne Spray, M.B. (Posthumous) Lundar, Manitoba Jakki Spray, M.B. Lundar, Manitoba Medal of Bravery
On September 8, 2009, Elaine Spray and her daughter, Jakki, rescuedJakki’s three children from their burning bungalow, near theInterlake community of Deerhorn, Manitoba. Early that morning, Jakkiand her mother were awakened by a fire in the living room. Unable toreach the bedroom where two of her daughters were sleeping, Jakkireturned to her own room, broke out the window and gently dropped hertwo-year-old daughter to the ground below. Jakki then crawled out,placed her daughter in her vehicle and ran back to the house.Meanwhile, her mother, Elaine, had successfully rescued thesix-year-old, but collapsed from the thick, black smoke before shecould reach her eldest granddaughter. Jakki climbed through thebroken window and retrieved her unconscious daughter. Unable to lifther mother outside, Jakki then drove to a neighbour’s house for help.Sadly, Elaine Spray succumbed to smoke inhalation and did notsurvive.
The decoration awarded to the late Mrs. Elaine Spray will be receivedby her granddaughters, Miss Jo-Lene Spray and Miss DanielleLoewen.
Chance William Gene Stewart, M.B. Vancouver, British Columbia Medal of Bravery
On December 30, 2008, Chance Stewart risked his life to rescue hissister, who had fallen down a steep mountain slope into the frozenwaters of Rice Lake, in the District of North Vancouver, BritishColumbia. Mr. Stewart, his sister and a friend had stopped at acanyon along the Baden-Powell hiking trail when his sister lost herfooting and tumbled down the canyon wall. She struck her head on arock and then broke through the ice, into the frigid lake. Shemanaged to hang on to a rock in the water while Mr. Stewart, fearinghe could not safely negotiate the precipitous descent, telephoned forhelp. When he saw his sister suddenly lose her grip and get carriedaway by the current, he slid down the slope and entered the water. Hesuccessfully dragged his sister out onto shore and tried to keep herwarm while their friend ran to a nearby house and called for anambulance. It took over 90 minutes for rescuers to reach them andpull the victim up the embankment. She was then brought to a hospitalwhere she was treated for her injuries.
Colleen Taylor, M.B. Ottawa, Ontario Medal of Bravery
On November 28, 2008, Colleen Taylor risked her life to rescue a womanfrom a possible drowning, in Jiulia Lake, in Carp, Ontario. The womanhad been walking her dog when it ran out to chase a goose and fellinto the freezing water, several metres from shore. The woman triedto rescue her dog, but she, too, broke through the ice. Ms. Taylorwas driving by when she saw the woman struggling to get out of thewater. Moving carefully across the thin ice until she was only a fewmetres from the victim, Ms. Taylor threw one end of a dog leash tothe woman, who grabbed on tightly. Ms. Taylor got down on her stomachand, with great determination, pulled the victim out and brought herto shore.
Frank William Taylor, M.B. Ladysmith, British Columbia Medal of Bravery
On July 22, 2008, Frank Taylor rescued his neighbour who was trappedinside his house engulfed in flames, in Chemainus, British Columbia.After hearing an explosion, Mr. Taylor ran onto the porch and saw thebadly burnt victim trying to pull himself out through a window. Mr.Taylor grabbed the man under the armpits and pulled him backwards,out onto the porch. With the help of his father-in-law, Mr. Taylorthen kicked down the railings of the deck and brought the victim intothe yard. With damaged, live power lines dangling above them, Mr.Taylor was able to bring the man a safe distance away.
Philbert Truong, M.B. (Posthumous) Victoria, British Columbia Medal of Bravery
On July 19, 2008, 20-year-old Phil Truong lost his life trying toprotect a friend during an altercation outside a night club, inVictoria, British Columbia. During the evening, a man unknown to themengaged in a brief verbal dispute with Mr. Truong’s friend. After theclub had closed, the same man, accompanied by an accomplice carryinga gun, confronted Mr. Truong’s friend. A brief altercation ensued,during which the gunman drew his weapon. Mr. Truong moved in front ofhis friend to protect him and was shot in the chest; he diedinstantly.
The decoration awarded to the late Mr. Truong will be received by hisfather, Mr. Lap Trung Truong.
Ian Joseph Wheeler, M.B., C.D. St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador Medal of Bravery
On March 9, 2009, civilian search and rescue technician Ian Wheelersaved the only surviving victim of a helicopter crash off the coastof Newfoundland. The helicopter, carrying18 passengers and crew, wasen route to an oil platform when it crashed into the Atlantic,leaving the lone survivor severely injured. The man was falling inand out of consciousness as he floated in a field of debris. Mr.Wheeler was lowered from a rescue helicopter and foughttwo-metre-high waves and the wind action from the rotor blades toreach the victim. The rescue basket was lowered to them, and aftermany attempts, Mr. Wheeler was able to place the injured man inside.Mr. Wheeler remained un-tethered during the lift as he tended to thehypothermic victim, ensuring he was safe and well secured.
FACT SHEET ON THE DECORATIONS FOR BRAVERY
The Decorations for Bravery were created in 1972. They recognizepeople who risk their lives and choose to defy their own instinct ofsurvival to try to save a loved one or a perfect stranger whose lifeis in immediate danger.
The three levels of the Decorations for Bravery reflect the degree towhich the recipients put themselves at risk:
The Cross of Valour (C.V.) recognizes acts of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme peril. TheStar of Courage (S.C.) recognizes acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril. TheMedal of Bravery (M.B.) recognizes acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances.
ELIGIBILITY AND NOMINATION
Anyone is free to propose the name of a person who has risked injuryor death in an attempt to rescue another person. The incident neednot have taken place in Canada, and the rescuer need not be Canadian,but Canadians or Canadian interests must be involved. The Decorationsmay be awarded posthumously.
Nominations must be made within two years of the incident, or withintwo years after a public entity, including a court, a quasi-judicialtribunal or a coroner, has concluded its review of the circumstancessurrounding the incident or act of bravery.
For more information on the Decorations for Bravery, please visit gg.ca/document.aspx?id=73 .
Contacts: Marie-Eve Letourneau Rideau Hall Press Office 613-998-0287 gg.ca
SOURCE: Governor General of Canada
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Bible studies in 2 Corinthians include great insight on church life then and now. We’ll go chapter by chapter through the book, applying the Scripture to our lives. The questions are designed for personal or group inductive style Bible study and discussion.
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