HALIFAX – Two humble, every day heroes who risked their lives to save those of complete strangers were rewarded for their efforts on Tuesday as they were presented with the Medal of Bravery.
Dr. Nathan Urquhart of Halifax and Kenneth McNeil of Sidney Mines were awarded the medal by Premier Stephen McNeil at a ceremony held at Province House.
Dr. Urquhart, an orthopedic surgeon, witnessed a man fall off the boardwalk into the Halifax harbour at midnight on an April night. He jumped into the water after the man, where he was able to secure the man who was unconscious and drowning. He stayed in the water, keeping the victim afloat, for fifteen minutes until emergency crews arrived to take him out of the water.
“I’ve done a lot of work over the years with different organizations from first responder, marine offshore rescue and the rescue auxiliary to Halifax Search and Rescue so, you never really want to do that, however a lot of my training allowed me to respond sort of appropriately for it,” Urquhart said after the ceremony.
McNeil came across a young man being attacked by a group of 25-30 other men in front of his home. Sure that the young man would be beaten to death, he jumped in to save him. The group of men then started attacking McNeil, leaving him with serious physical injuries including a shattered jaw.
“I just seen what was going on and I knew the man needed help,” McNeil said. “He was going to be badly injured if someone haven’t intervened and I felt it was my duty to try to do something about it.”
The Medal of Bravery is awarded each year to individuals who have risked their life protecting the life or property of others.
“I believe a hero is someone who has instincts stronger than fear,” Premiere Stephen McNeil said of the two every day heroes.
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