Star of Courage
Awarded on: 2012-06-14
Invested on: 2012-09-19
Simon BERNIER, S.C.
Star of Courage
On July 16, 2010, Simon Bernier, then 15 years old, courageously rescued his father and his great-uncle from a burning plane, in a remote area of northern Quebec. The small plane had been carrying Simon, four family members, and the pilot, when it crashed into a mountain and burst into flames. Simon escaped, while his younger brother, who had been thrown clear of the plane, lay injured nearby. Simon pulled his unconscious father from the fiery wreck and brought him a safe distance away. He then pulled out his great-uncle who had sustained multiple injuries and burns. Due to the intense heat and flames around the plane, he was unable to reach the other two victims. Sadly, his brother and father did not survive the crash. Yet Simon stayed focused and helped his great-uncle for over nine hours while guiding the rescue team to their position.