Medal of Bravery
Awarded on: 2006-09-07
Invested on: 2007-06-15
Constable Gerald Proctor, M.B.
Medal of Bravery
On the night of January 2, 2006, in Vancouver, British Columbia, police constable Gerald Proctor saved a woman from drowning after the car in which she was travelling was involved in a violent collision and landed in the Fraser River, some 20 metres from shore. Moments after the impact, the injured victim emerged from the sinking vehicle, calling desperately for help as she was swept downstream in the fast-flowing river. Witness to the scene, Cst. Proctor plunged into the freezing water and, battling the forceful current, swam to the woman some 40 metres out. Although exhausted and suffering from hypothermia, he managed to grab hold of her clothes and pulled her to shore where other police personnel offered assistance.