Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: March 8, 2001
• Invested on: June 22, 2001

On June 11, 2000, Martin Tanguay, age 12, jumped into the icy waters of the St. Lawrence River to save a five-year-old girl who had fallen from a wharf in Montréal, Quebec. Martin was with his friends on a disused wharf when he noticed three little girls walking along the gangway leading to the wharf. One of the girls suddenly lost her footing and fell five metres into the choppy water of the river. Overcoming his fear, Martin climbed down onto a girder, jumped into the muddy water and, despite his heavy wet clothing, swam four metres to reach the child. Although the young victim was panic-stricken and struggling, he managed to hold her by one arm and bring her back to the wharf. Exhausted and treading icy cold water about 10 metres deep, Martin positioned himself underneath her and somehow lifted her toward a girder, where his friends helped her.