Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: June 20, 2002
• Invested on: June 13, 2003

On July 5, 2000, 12-year-old Francis-Xavier Fontaine lost his life while trying to save a friend from drowning near the St. Lawrence Seaway dam in Sainte-Catherine, Quebec. Francis-Xavier and a group of friends were swimming close to the gates of the dam when one of them found himself in trouble as he was being swept along by the eddy created by the open gates some five metres from shore. Without regard for his own life, Francis-Xavier jumped into the water and, despite the strong current carrying him toward the dam, swam out to the victim. Notwithstanding the exhaustion that was overcoming him, he managed to move his friend away from the abutments by pushing him shoreward before he himself was swept away toward the gates and disappeared into the churning waters. Francis-Xavier's body was later recovered by local authorities.