Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: December 13, 2001
• Invested on: June 28, 2002

On August 7, 1999, 32-year-old Kenneth Lamothe saved his three-year-old son from a fiery death in Garson, near Sudbury, Ontario. Awakened by an early morning fire, Mr. Lamothe and his partner jumped out of bed and were met by a wall of intense toxic smoke when they reached the hallway. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Mr. Lamothe instructed the woman to escape through their bedroom window while he raced to his son's bedroom at the back of the house. In zero visibility, he braved the rapidly spreading flames until he found the toddler, then lifted him in his arms and carried him towards the kitchen door. When firefighters arrived, they found Mr. Lamothe's unconscious and severely burned body near the exit, shielding his child from the flames. The young victim survived the ordeal but sadly, Mr. Lamothe died of his injuries five days later.