Gérard Maillé saved the life of a woman who was overcome by smoke during a fire at her home in Saint-Thérèse on 22 September 1976. Finding the rear of the house in flames, the rescuer crawled through the front entrance. Though he heard the victim's moans, because of the heavy smoke Mr. Maillé was forced to leave the building. Once outside, he broke a window, and when the smoke had dissipated he re-entered the house. He found the woman and tried to drag her to a window. They were found by firemen who turned hoses on Mr. Maillé to save him from the intense heat of the flames. Both he and the unconscious victim were then taken from the house, and she was revived.