Star of Courage

• Awarded on: July 16, 1984
• Invested on: November 09, 1984

Mario Cortese lost his life in an attempt to rescue his ten-day-old baby girl when fire gutted their frame house. In the afternoon of February 1, 1983, Mr. Cortese was alerted by his step-daughter that a fire had broken out in the kitchen of his house. Concerned for the safety of his infant daughter, he ran to the house and entered through the kitchen door. He retreated quickly - his clothing caught fire - and rolled in the snow to put out the flames. Undaunted, he went to the front of the house, broke a bedroom window and braved the intense heat and smoke inside. Sadly, he collapsed with the baby in his arms, a metre from safety. Both perished.