Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: October 23, 2003
• Invested on: June 25, 2004

On May 8, 2000, Wayne Ferguson rescued a fisherman from drowning at Lillooet Lake, near Pemberton, British Columbia. The victim had plunged into near-freezing water when his canoe was overturned by the rough waves. Alerted to the situation, Mr. Ferguson, a non-swimmer, boarded a small aluminum boat and battled the choppy waters until he located the man, some 70 metres from shore. Ignoring the danger of capsizing, he maneuvered the craft alongside the unresponsive victim in an attempt to shield him from the high wind and waves. Unable to haul the man into the boat, Mr. Ferguson fastened him to the side of the craft with ropes and, although completely exhausted, succeeded in towing him within a few metres of shore, where others had come to help.