Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: September 29, 1986
• Invested on: December 05, 1986

Darrell Martin Sitter, M.B.
Richard Gerard Teetaert, M.B.
Medal of Bravery

On 1 December 1984, Darrell Sitter and Richard (Rick) Teetaert combined their efforts to rescue a man from the freezing waters of Pelican Lake in Manitoba. Three fishermen were crossing the frozen surface when their pick-up crashed through the ice. Alerted by cries for help, Darrell Sitter rushed to the scene on his snowmobile but soon realized that the thin ice would break under his weight. He immediately returned to his cabin, tied a canoe to the rear of his snowmobile and approached the scene of the accident again. Depside the risks, he ran the dangerous area, pushing his canoe tot he edge of the open water and jumped in. Unable to pull the victim out, he tied a rope under the man's arms and held him beside the canoe. As the ice cracked underfoot, Richard Teetaert had meanwhile also disregarded his own safety an managed to climb into the canoe. Together, Darrell Sitter and Richard Teetaert succeeded in lifting the nearly-paralysed victim out; they were then pulled to safety by witnesses. Unfortunately, the driver and other passenger of the vehicle could not be saved.