Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: April 5, 1988
• Invested on: June 10, 1988

Robert Seymour, M.B.
Michael Victor Skoczen, M.B.
Medal of Bravery

On the night of October 9, 1986, an accident occurred between two cars on a highway near Stoney Creek, Ontario. One of the vehicles, a station wagon, flipped over the top of the other, landed on its roof on the shoulder of the road and burst into flames. Mike Skoczen and Robert Seymour, arriving separately at the scene, saw the driver trapped inside the burning car and tried to extinguish the flames with dirt and a blanket, and to force the doors open by using a truck bumper. At this time a police officer arrived, tried unsuccessfully to put out the flames with a fire extinguisher, then attempted to free the victim, who was pinned in the wreckage. As the entire passenger compartment burst into flames, the officer dove partway through the open passenger side window, grabbed the severely injured and burned man and, with the help of Mr. Seymour and Mr. Skoczen, pulled him from the car and carried him a safe distance away.