Medal of Bravery
Awarded on: 2009-06-30
Invested on: 2009-05-31
Jeffrey Hopkins, M.B.
Medal of Bravery
On October 28, 2007, Jeffrey Hopkins attempted to rescue his wife after their snowmobile broke through the ice on the Coppermine River, in Kugluktuk, Nunavut. After struggling in the water for approximately 10 minutes, Mr. Hopkins got himself out and grabbed his wife's hand to keep her from being pulled under. He managed to hold onto her for a while, but had to leave her to get help at the nearest village, two kilometres away, knowing this was the only way to save her life. Although suffering from hypothermia and severe frostbite, Mr. Hopkins crawled for approximately five hours, shouting out as he approached the village where a resident found him and brought him to a nearby health clinic. Sadly, Mr. Hopkins' wife did not survive the ordeal.