Star of Courage

• Awarded on: July 2, 1979
• Invested on: September 21, 1979

Barbara McCann died of asphyxiation while trying to rescue her children during a fire in their home on 3 May 1978. Mrs. McCann and her three elder sons rescued three younger members of the family before the fire raged out of control. Though she could herself have escaped Mrs. McCann stayed behind to gather up the five remaining children. But as they were preparing to leave they were trapped in a bedroom and perished. Firemen found Mrs. McCann's body in the position of shielding her children.