Medal of Bravery
Awarded on: 2005-06-16
Invested on: 2005-12-02
On November 26, 2004, Patrice Bélanger made multiple entries inside a burning house to rescue a two-year-old boy in Rivière-Héva, Quebec. Although driven out by the intense heat and choking smoke on each of his previous attempts, Mr. Bélanger entered the building a fourth time, determined to reach the child trapped inside. Despite the risks, he crawled down the basement stairs and, groping around, located the unconscious victim lying on the floor. Gasping for air, he lifted the toddler in his arms, made his way back upstairs through the blinding smoke, and carried the small boy outside to safety.