Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: January 19, 1976
• Invested on: February 16, 1976

Fourteen-year-old Ronald Groves saved a seven-year-old girl and her younger sister and brother from the basement of their home in Toronto, during a fire which caused extensive damage to the residence, on January 13, 1975. Ronald, who was babysitting the youngsters at the time, was on the ground floor when he detected a smell of burning. Investigating, he discovered thick smoke emanating from the basement where the children were trapped in their bedrooms and hastily proceeded down the stairs. Two of the youngsters were found together, helpless and crying out of fear. Ronald led them through the darkness to the stairwell and then raced to the third child who was fast asleep in a room at the opposite end of the basement. Carrying the baby in his arms, he rejoined the others and together they fled from the building as fire was rapidly spreading through the interior. By his bold and concerted action, Ronald Groves almost certainly averted a tragedy.