Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: March 4, 1992
• Invested on: June 05, 1992

Paul Macsuga, M.B.
Thomas John Nimmo, M.B.
Medal of Bravery

On February 14, 1991, in Cavendish Township, Ontario, Mr. Nimmo attempted to rescue a friend from the freezing waters of Catchacoma Lake, while Mr. Macsuga successfully came to their aid. Mr. Nimmo, his son and a friend were snowmobiling across the lake when the latter broke through the ice. Mr. Nimmo circled around on his vehicle, then crawled towards the man, all the while trying to calm him. The thin ice gave way and he joined his friend in the freezing waters. Mr. Nimmo's son, who had also circled around, broke through the ice a short distance away. The three men, unable to pull themselves out, yelled for help, drawing Mr. Macsuga from his nearby cottage. Arriving by snowmobile, Mr. Macsuga dismounted and, as he approached, fell through the ice as well. Pulling himself out, he went to his cottage to get a rope. He then returned, crawled as near to the victims as possible and pulled them out with the rope. Unable to locate Mr. Nimmo's son, he brought the other two victims to his cottage, where he treated their hypothermia. The provincial police, contacted by Mr. Macsuga, then arrived and conducted a search for Mr. Nimmo's son, whose body was later recovered.