Medal of Bravery
Awarded on: 1997-05-30
Invested on: 1997-12-05
In July 1993, Jeffrey Fleming, then 14 years old, rescued his 13-year old sister from drowning in the Port Severn River, in Port Severn, Ontario. Walking ahead of their family on an afternoon stroll along the river, Jeffrey and his sister reached the waterfalls first and were frolicking in the shallow current when the girl lost her footing and was swept away towards the falls. As she was carried downstream, she managed to grab onto an underwater rock. Jeffrey rushed to her rescue and reached for her hand. He anchored his body to secure her but the strong current tipped him off balance and he too found himself in difficulty in the churning waters. Determined to save his sister, Jeffrey kept his grip on her until family members arrived and formed a human chain to help him pull her to safety.