September 13, 2004 OTTAWA — Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada, today announced the awarding of eight Medals of Bravery for acts of heroism. Recipients will be invited to accept their decorations at a ceremony to be held at a later date. On the recommendation of the Canadian Decorations Advisory Committee (Bravery), the Governor General has announced the following awards: Medal of Bravery R. Wade Adey, M.B. (posthumous), Clarenville, Newfoundland and Labrador Don Bannister, M.B., Clarenville, Newfoundland and Labrador Bradley Scott Becker, M.B. (posthumous), Wasaga Beach, Ontario Jeff Bradt, M.B., Windsor, Ontario Jorge DaSilva, M.B., Wallaceburg, Ontario Todd David Gittins, M.B., Winnipeg, Manitoba Gregory V. Morozov, M.B., Dundas, Ontario Brian Nelson Wills, M.B., Rideau Ferry, Ontario The Decorations for Bravery––the Cross of Valour, the Star of Courage and the Medal of Bravery––were established in 1972 as part of the Canadian Honours System. The Cross of Valour is awarded for acts of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme peril. The Star of Courage is awarded for acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril. The Medal of Bravery is awarded for acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances. The citations follow (Annex). -30- Media information Rideau Hall Press Office (613) 993-8157 www.gg.ca Public information The Chancellery of Honours (613) 993-2569 or 1 800 465-6890 For more information on the Canadian Honours System, please visit the Governor General's web site at www.gg.ca Annex R. Wade Adey, M.B. (posthumous), Clarenville, Newfoundland and Labrador Don Bannister, M.B., Clarenville, Newfoundland and Labrador Medal of Bravery On May 31, 2003, Wade Adey lost his life after rescuing Don Bannister and his seven-year-old grandson from drowning in British Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Adey, Mr. Bannister and Mr. Bannister's grandson were chopping iceberg chunks in the mouth of the harbour when the thick mass floundered, capsized their seven-metre boat and threw them into the freezing water. Determined to help the child out of the water, the men struggled for 20 minutes before they managed to lift him onto the slippery iceberg. Despite exhaustion and the onset of hypothermia, Mr. Adey was then able to push Mr. Bannister onto the ice mass. When, in turn, Mr. Bannister's repeated attempts to lift his friend out of the water proved unsuccessful, he swam to shore for assistance. Unfortunately, when help arrived in a row boat, Mr. Adey had been in the water for two hours and could not be saved. Bradley Scott Becker, M.B. (posthumous), Wasaga Beach, Ontario Medal of Bravery On September 13, 2003, Bradley Becker died while trying to rescue his eight-year-old daughter at Wasaga Beach, Ontario. The girl was playing on an air mattress when a strong wind pushed her farther out, some 200 metres into the bay. When she saw her father swimming towards her from shore, the girl jumped off the mattress and began swimming to meet him. Reaching her mid-way, Mr. Becker swam behind her, pushing her ahead and repeatedly pulling her from under the surface while shouting encouragements. Sadly, Mr. Becker was overcome by exhaustion before reaching safety and disappeared under the surface. The girl was eventually rescued by a man on a sea-doo who had come to help. Jeff Bradt, M.B., Windsor, Ontario Gregory V. Morozov, M.B., Dundas, Ontario Medal of Bravery On July 19, 2003, while trying to save his younger brother from drowning, 18-year-old Jeff Bradt was rescued by Gregory Morozov in Lake Erie, off Point Pelee National Park, Ontario. Jeff's 16-year-old brother had walked some 500 metres into the lake on a sandbar when a strong current swept him into treacherous waters. Jeff jumped in after him but he too was carried out into the surf and unable to reach his brother who disappeared under the surface and drowned. Alerted to the situation from shore, Mr. Morozov grabbed a life ring and swam out to Jeff, some 300 metres off the tip of the Point. Battling the powerful flows, he reached the exhausted teenager, placed the buoy over him and swam with him in tow until they reached the shore, some 15 minutes later. Jorge DaSilva, M.B., Wallaceburg, Ontario Medal of Bravery On December 24, 2003, Jorge DaSilva rescued a woman from drowning in Wallaceburg, Ontario. Mr. DaSilva had just arrived to work when he noticed the woman screaming for help, desperately hanging onto a bridge post in the middle of the nearby Sydenham River. Mr. DaSilva quickly ran over, removed part of his winter clothing and jumped into the freezing water. He swam some six metres to the distressed woman, who was now battling the deep river's strong current. Reaching her side, he grabbed her by her coat and began an exhausting swim back until he could touch the debris-covered bottom. Dragging the victim, he then treaded water, inflicting several bruises and cuts to his hands and feet, until they had safely reached the ice-covered bank. Todd David Gittins, M.B., Winnipeg, Manitoba Medal of Bravery On May 19, 2003, Todd Gittins risked his life when he attempted to rescue a man from drowning in the Red River, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Alerted that the victim had jumped from a bridge into the swirling waters, Mr. Gittins raced down to the shoreline to assist. Treading chest-deep water, he reached a dock where he grabbed a floatation device. He then began swimming to catch up to the unconscious victim in the middle of the river. Although hampered by the forceful current, Mr. Gittins managed to grab the man's jacket and swam some 35 metres with him in tow until boaters arrived to haul the victim's limp body inside the small craft. Too exhausted to climb aboard, Mr. Gittins held onto the side and helped push the oar-less boat closer to shore where others had come to help with a rope. Mr. Gittins was then able to swim to safety but, sadly, the victim did not survive the ordeal. Brian Nelson Wills, M.B., Rideau Ferry, Ontario Medal of Bravery On August 10, 2002, Brian Wills rescued a six-year-old girl from a family van that had sunk into Rideau Lake after accidently rolling down a steep embankment and hitting a boat house, near the village of Rideau Ferry, Ontario. Mr. Wills was boating in the area when he witnessed the tragic mishap. Alerted that the child was trapped inside the submerged vehicle, Mr. Wills dove into the cold and murky water to render assistance. Undeterred after a vain attempt to locate the young victim, he dove a second time and entered the van through a broken window. Waving his arms around, he found the girl trapped in a tiny air pocket and pulled her from her precarious position. He then pushed her towards an open window and brought her back to safety.
