Medal of Bravery

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

During the afternoon of 27 July 1985, thirteen year-old Darryl Pearcey risked his life to rescue a younger boy from drowning in Southwest Lake. A group of children was playing on a raft when the anchor line broke. Buffeted by strong winds, the platform rapidly drifted into very deep water. Grasping the urgency of the situation, the lifeguard instructed those who could to swim to shore and the others to remain on the raft until help arrived. When one non-swimmer jumped in the water in a state of panic, Darryl dove in and grabbed the boy whose wild struggles dragged them both under several times. Despite fatigue, Darryl fought the waves and, with little swimming experience, managed to drag the victim to shore were the lifeguard revived him. In knee-deep water, Darryl collapsed from exhaustion and was carried to rest of the way.