Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: April 4, 2007
• Invested on: February 29, 2008

Krista Maria Wall, M.B.
Medal of Bravery

On January 5, 2005, while vacationing in the Dominican Republic, Krista Wall attempted to rescue an 11-year-old boy from drowning during an excursion on the Damajagua River. Realizing that the boy had been missing for several minutes and was most likely trapped in a strong whirlpool under a waterfall, Ms. Wall, although not a strong swimmer, tied a rope around her waist and plunged into the turbulent waters. She groped around in the rushing water until she felt the child's hand. She tried unsuccessfully to reach out to him, all the while fighting the undertow pulling her down. As she resurfaced to catch her breath, the young victim's lifeless body emerged to the surface. Bystanders pulled them both out of the water but, sadly, efforts to revive the young boy were in vain.