A Vancouver Island man has received the highest recognition in the country for bravery.
Nick Rivers with Arrowsmith Search and Rescue received the Governor General’s Decoration for Bravery on Saturday night. CHEK News reports the award was for his actions in December 2020, when he rescued a man from a river north of Parksville.
Rivers was lowered into the water in a rope rescue, which required a lot of training, technical skill, and bravery to pluck the man from the freezing, powerful currents.
Rivers was able to rescue the man before he tumbled over a waterfall. He says it was the most intense rescue he’s ever done, and thanked his team and his training for making it possible.
In 1972, Queen Elizabeth II established a series of medals recognizing courageous acts. In the last 50 years, the Governor General has awarded Decorations for Bravery to more than 4200 recipients: Canadians and others, civilians and uniformed personnel, living and deceased—in recognition of acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances that range from potential drownings and vehicle accidents to animal attacks and burning buildings.
