Star of Courage
Awarded on: 1990-08-27
Invested on: 1990-12-07
In the afternoon of August 1, 1988, Maribel Garcia lost her life while trying to rescue her young niece from drowning in a lake at Long Beach, Ontario. Ms. Garcia had seen her niece struggling in the lake about 50 metres from shore and decided to enter the water despite warnings regarding the strong undertow and the high waves. Two other swimmers joined the rescue effort when they heard Ms. Garcia and her niece crying for help, but were only able to save the young girl. When the rescuers reached the girl, Ms. Garcia had disappeared under the water never to resurface.