Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: June 22, 2006
• Invested on: October 13, 2006

Eric P. Stenstrom, M.B.
Medal of Bravery

On January 17, 2005, while vacationing in the Dominican Republic, Eric Stenstrom rescued a man who was unable to escape the pull of a strong undertow at Playa Grande. Mr. Stenstrom had just entered the water when he heard the victim's cries for help. After first instructing the man to swim toward him-to no avail-Mr. Stenstrom fought the pounding surf until he reached his side. Battling the three-metre waves that crashed over them, he struggled to keep the man's head above water, repeatedly submerging his own body to push the victim to the surface. Making slow progress against the powerful riptide pulling them under, he managed to bring the man closer to shore, where others helped them out of the water.