Star of Courage

• Awarded on: October 5, 1987
• Invested on: December 11, 1987

Braving a crossfire of exploding ammunition, Scott MacNeil rescued a young woman from a burning sporting goods store in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia on October 21, 1986. At about 9:30 that morning, Mr. MacNeil was talking to the girl, an employee of the shop, across a counter near the front door when some shells stored under the counter spontaneously exploded, igniting adjacent gunpowder. The resulting blast threw Mr. MacNeil out the front door, his back on fire, while the victim was blown across the shop floor. Rolling on the ground to extinguish his flaming clothing, he heard the victim screaming and, realizing she was trapped inside, he immediately crawled back in through the gaping front door despite the obvious risk posed by the fire and the continuing explosions. Mr. MacNeil found the disoriented woman in the middle of the shop, on fire from head to toe. He began to beat at her head and clothes with his hands to put out the fire, then led her outside, where he was handed a blanket in which he wrapped girl. As a result of his actions, Mr. MacNeil suffered severe burns and was hospitalized for some time.