Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: February 25, 2019
• Invested on: May 26, 2022

Sergeant Michael Fonseca, M.B.
Toronto, Ontario

On June 13, 2018, off-duty Sergeant Michael Fonseca, of the Toronto Police Service, rescued two individuals from their burning home in Burlington, Ontario. Woken by the high-pitched sound of an overheated propane tank, he saw his neighbor’s house fully engulfed in flames. As a qualified bomb technician, Sgt Fonseca was aware that the fire surrounding the home’s propane tanks could result in an explosion capable of killing anyone within range. He rushed into the home and escorted an elderly victim outside before re-entering to find a second victim in the burning kitchen. Sgt Fonseca led the man through thick smoke to safety, and then ran to direct emergency personnel to the scene.