Medal of Bravery
Awarded on: 2001-01-24
Invested on: 2001-06-22
On January 27, 2000, Martin Petre risked his life to save two friends whose snowmobile had plunged into the freezing Mississippi river, in Ompah, Ontario. Mr. Petre was following the lead snowmobile, with his two friends on board, when he saw them break through the ice and disappear into a 10-metre wide hole. Unable to reach them over the thin surface, Mr. Petre smashed a path through the thin ice, then lay down on his stomach, reached into the extremely cold water and on his third attempt, was able to grab hold of one friend's fingers and pulled him out. He then rushed to his other friend, and using the first victim's body as an anchor for his legs, he reached into the water, grabbed the man by the wrists and succeeded in pulling him out. Numbed by the icy water, the trio then walked more than a kilometre to a residence where they received assistance.