Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: June 18, 2019
• Invested on: September 09, 2022

Julie Callaghan, M.B.
Yvonne Kanis, M.B.
Chilliwack, British Columbia
Medal of Bravery

On May 26, 2018, Julie Callaghan and Yvonne Kanis attempted to rescue a man caught in the path of an oncoming train in Chilliwack, British Columbia. The man was crossing a railroad track on a mobility scooter when the signal lights activated and the guard rails descended. The wheels of his scooter suddenly pivoted and became lodged in between the tracks, locking the man in place. Witnessing the scene, Ms. Callaghan and Ms. Kanis leapt from their parked vehicles, ducked under the gate and attempted, in vain, to dislodge the chair. They then turned their attention to unbuckling the man’s seat belt and tried to lift him off the scooter. With the train bearing down on them, the women jumped to safety, though Ms. Callaghan was severely injured in the process. Sadly, the man did not survive.