Medal of Bravery
Awarded on: 1983-05-09
Invested on: 1983-09-09
Gary Chisolm was installing new telephone poles in his district on 8 March 1982, when he noticed two children cycle towards Lake Ontario. Shortly after, he noticed one walking back, crying, and immediately went to investigate. He followed footprints to a hole in the heavily-ridged ice but saw nothing. Proceeding further onto the treacherous surface he located the boy, face-up, some five metres from the edge of the ice. With a rope around his waist held by a co-worker, Mr. Chisolm leaped into the water and swam to the child, towed him back to the ice edge and searched for a place to climb out. The height of the ice face posed difficulties but eventually they were pulled from the water. Both men applied mouth-to-mouth until an ambulance arrived. The child later recovered in hospital.