Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: June 27, 2001
• Invested on: December 06, 2001

On November 5, 2000, Denis Couture attempted to save a man from drowning in the Atlantic Ocean in Freetown in Sierra Leone. Capt Couture had been swimming near the shore when he noticed that a swimmer was in distress some 100 metres out. Without hesitation, Capt Couture swam through the rough waves until he reached the unresponsive victim's side. Battling the strong current, he struggled to keep the man's head above water, repeatedly submerging his own body to push the drowning victim to the surface. Although weakened by his efforts, he managed to bring the man closer to shore. In complete exhaustion and having swallowed a large amount of water, Capt Couture collapsed as others arrived to provide assistance. Sadly, the victim did not survive the ordeal.