Medal of Bravery
Awarded on: 2007-06-21
Invested on: 2008-02-29
Lydia Angiyou, M.B.
Medal of Bravery
On February 8, 2006, Lydia Angiyou confronted a polar bear to protect her son and his friends. When she saw the 320 kg bear approaching the boys, Ms. Angiyou ran towards the animal that had wandered into Ivujivik, the small, remote village in northern Quebec where she lives. In an attempt to scare it away, she yelled and kicked at it, but the bear swatted her back in the face, knocking her down. Alerted by one of the children, a neighbour rushed to the scene, armed with a rifle. Seeing Ms. Angiyou wrestling with the bear, he fired a few warning shots. The sound diverted the bear's attention from Ms. Angyiou just long enough for the man to fire again and neutralize the animal. Remarkably, Ms. Angiyou only suffered minor injuries during the ordeal.