Medal of Bravery
Awarded on: 2001-09-06
Invested on: 2002-06-28
On December 17, 1999, Mark Gilligan rescued a man trapped in a burning truck in St-Isidore-de- Laprairie, Quebec. When Mr. Gilligan arrived at the scene of the accident, he rushed toward the injured driver trapped in his truck. After unsuccessfully attempting to open the door, Mr. Gilligan ran to the other side, disregarding the flames beneath the vehicle. Despite the danger, he entered the truck to release the driver's safety belt, ignoring the flames rising from the dashboard and burning his face. He managed to free the driver and, with the help of others, got him out through the truck window and brought him to safety moments before the entire vehicle burst into flames.