Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: February 25, 2010
• Invested on: February 08, 2011

Ernest Jean, M.B.
Marjorie Jean-Baptiste, M.B.
Medal of Bravery

On March 6, 2008, Marjorie Jean-Baptiste and Ernest Jean risked their lives to ensure that seven children escaped from a burning house, in Rivière-des-Prairies, Quebec. Ms. Jean Baptiste and the children were sleeping in the second floor bedrooms, when she heard one of the children cry out. Thick, black smoke was filling the hallway as she quickly pulled the children into her room. She broke the window, screamed to alert nearby residents, and then dropped the children, one by one, onto the snowbank below. Neighbours gathered the children and brought them warm blankets, while encouraging Ms. Jean-Baptiste to escape the intensifying flames. She refused to jump until all seven children were safely outside. Meanwhile, neighbour Ernest Jean entered the house to search through the burning main floor for any missing children, but was forced out due to the smoke. He rolled in the snow to wet his clothing, re-entered and searched quickly through the raging fire before going back outside.