Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: October 19, 1972
• Invested on: June 22, 1973

Rupert Fong, M.B.
Johnson Gock, M.B.
Gyuala Lakatar, M.B.
Medal of Bravery

Three students of the British Columbia Vocational School in Kelowna, British Columbia, Rupert Fong, Johnson Gock and Gyuala Lakatar, joined in helping their Vice-principal whose clothes caught fire at the school on April 13, 1970. While refuelling a station wagon, the man splashed gasoline on his clothes and in attempting to brush it off, apparently created a static electric spark which ignited the gasoline. Rupert Fong and Gyuala Lakatar, hearing the victim's cry, rushed to his aid, and disregarding the burning fuel, dragged him to safety. Johnson Gock, meantime, ran to a nearby building for an extinguisher, joined his fellow students and together they soon had the fire under control. The victim sustained severe burns and might well have lost his life had it not been for the prompt and courageous actions of Ruper Fong, Johnson Gock and Gyuala Lakatar.